Smoke
by GuardianM1234
Summary: A chronicle of the lives of Peach, Bowser and Mario after Rosalina's disappearance from the Mushroom Kingdom.
1. Archway

Princess Peach smiled sadly to herself as she removed the well-worn sparkly pink diary from its hiding spot behind the painting of a cottage on the mantle place. Yesterday she bid on an expensive piece of art during a fundraiser for the Mushroom Kingdom Board of Educators, and to her delight she had won. She knew that the warm colors of the acrylic would fit in perfectly above the hearth, and in the process of replacing the old painting she uncovered her childhood diary. Peach gently flipped open the cover and skimmed the first page. It read:

September 3,

I wint to furst grad. It wus fun.

She laughed at the misspellings and backwards letters that served as a reminder of her past self. Although it was so long ago, she remembered the day in vivid detail...

"Mommy, I'm scared." Peach had whined in the plush back seat of one of her father's many expensive cars. This was the first time she was to be left alone in a new environment full of strangers. She was terrified.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine." Her mother said off-handedly from the passenger side. She never drove, not only because she was an unskilled driver, but also because she loved the glamour of having a chauffer. Her platinum blonde hair was styled in a complicated up-do, signaling that she would be attending an imperious event after accompanying her daughter on the drive to school. She spoke in a hushed voice into the phone that was cradled to her ear, but despite her secrecy Peach could still make out her conversation.

"I know, dreadful thing. I can't believe the superintendent's audacity to let _those people_ in and put the Mario family on the wait-list! I told you we pulled some strings... Mmmhmmm. No one has a better standing in the kingdom! Of course, you know how Queen Ruby is. She would give anything to be respectable, trying to cover up the fact of who they are... Undeniably. I would love to chat but I have to go, it's my youngest's first day of school. Yes, I will visit this evening. Ta-ta." With a muted tap she hung up the phone, and turned around to face her daughter in the back seat. "Never interrupt me while I'm on the phone." She said sternly, before turning back around to watch the wealthy neighborhoods stream past outside.

All too quickly they arrived at the school, which Peach perceived as an evil dragon waiting to gobble her up once she stepped inside. Her mother held her hand tightly as they walked through the dragon's mouth and entered into its throat. Within its guts churned door after door which they walked past, each denoted with a series of numbers. At the end of the hall they came to one marked as 'Room 129.'

"This is your classroom," Peach's mother told her patiently. "You'll come here when you are dropped off, understand? The chauffer will pick you up later today. Be good." And with a brisk hug she turned on her heel to strut elegantly out of the dragon, leaving her helpless daughter inside to be digested.

Peach remembered being led into her first grade class by her teacher, Ms. Merriweather, who had a friendly smile which slightly dulled Peach's panic. After everyone arrived, hasty introductions were made before their teacher granted them permission to play and explore the room a bit before they began their learning. Once her initial hesitation wore off, Peach nervously wandered towards the bin full of blocks in the corner that had caught her eye. She began to assemble the colorful pieces into little towers and citadels around her. Soon she became so enthralled in her construction that she temporarily forgot her separation anxiety. Peach delicately placed a triangular block on top of a stack of square ones, when from behind her she heard the tell-tale wooden clatter of falling blocks. She turned around to see a large, mean-looking boy standing over them, flanked by two other boys with wicked grins on their faces.

The leader of the group was unlike any person that Peach had ever seen in the Mushroom Kingdom. His body vaguely resembled a turtle's, however he had jaw-length red hair that sprouted from his head, spikes on the shell that adhered to his back, and sharp little claws that grew from his hands. His friends looked the same, but with brown hair. Although their appearances were intimidating, Peach's anger surpassed her feelings of fear.

"Hey! Did you knock my blocks over?" She asked, accusingly.

"I guess I did." The ring-leader said smugly.

"Then you need to say you're sorry!" Peach responded, indignantly. It was beyond her how someone could admit to wrongdoing without apologizing.

"I don't need to say sorry to anybody." The boy said haughtily. "I'm a prince." He laughed.

"Well, I'm a princess." Peach refuted, enjoying the brief shock that flashed across her adversary's face.

"Well, I'm going to be a king of the Darklands." He declared.

"Eventually I'll be queen of the Mushroom Kingdom!" Peach argued, choosing to omit the fact that her sister, Rosalina, would be queen first.

"The Mushroom Kingdom's stupid!" He yelled, changing tactics.

"My kingdom's not stupid, and you need to say you're sorry right now!" Peach screamed, besting him in pitch and volume.

A look of appreciation flashed across the boy's face. She could tell he was impressed. He looked her over once, up and down, before he spoke again.

"Alright fine." He conceded. "I'm sorry. I'll even help you rebuild your tower."

"Thank you." Peach said simply, as he knelt beside her and carefully stacked the pieces on top of each other.

"Look, Bowser's playing with a girl!" One of the brown-haired boys mocked.

"It's Prince Bowser to you, and if you keep that up I'll punch you so hard you won't be able to talk anymore!" Bowser roared before the other boys left silently.

"My name's Bowser by the way." He said tamely, still building alongside Peach.

"I'm Peach." She told him. She wanted to chide him for his threat, but she decided to rest on her prior victory instead of starting another fight. Peach also noticed that even after Bowser reconstructed the fallen edifice, he continued to build new structures, adding to her city. He certainly wasn't her preferred company, but since she had no other opportunities for socialization she didn't complain.

"Hey, after this do you want to play with me at recess?" He inquired.

"Why?" Peach asked. She hadn't intended to be rude, but was simply acting with the inhibition that comes with childhood.

"Because we're friends now." Bowser answered simply.

"Ok then, I'll play with you." She agreed. They smiled at each other, and Peach's former anxiety was replaced with a warm gooey feeling brought on by making a new friend. Statistically speaking, he wasn't phenomenal friendship material; he was rude, conceited, and entitled, but Peach could see that he could also be protective, opportunistic, and thoughtful. Maybe, with time, he would prove to be-

The clock on the wall chimed three times, pulling Peach back to the present. Realizing that she had spent too long reminiscing, Peach swiftly closed the diary and finished hanging her new-found artwork above the fireplace. After a moment of thought she decided to return the book to its former hiding spot behind the painting that rested on the mantelpiece. Then she headed towards the powder room, to begin the arduous process of getting herself ready for the diplomatic conference that she would be attending later in the day. But her mind was addled. No matter how hard she tried, Peach couldn't seem to shake the ghosts that lingered on the edge of her memories. She spent the rest of the afternoon struggling to decide on her dress, messily styling and re-combing her hair, and applying her makeup again and again, desperately trying to forget her first friend who still occupied a sliver of her heart.

A/N: Hello! This is my second fanfiction that I have written, and hopefully it is just as good if not better than my last one! Technically speaking this story is a sequel to my first fanfic: Into The Fire. However, I am purposely writing this so that it can stand independently of its predecessor. Even though this isn't my first rodeo, I still am pretty self-conscious of my work, and acknowledge that I still have a lot of room for improvement as a writer. That being said, please please please let me know what you think of my writing. Each piece of feedback warms my heart and I am deeply grateful for any bit of attention that I receive from a reader! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Much love, Guardian.


	2. Cement

Bowser cracked his neck a few times to loosen up the joints, and stretched his arms over his head to warm up his muscles. His last fight with Mario was their most gruesome yet. Both needed serious medical attention afterwards, coupled with intensive physical therapy. Although he had been released from the hospital, Bowser still wasn't completely back to his healthy self. His back, neck, and arms ached in the morning, and his body popped and creaked in places that it never had before. But these hindrances didn't bother him: they reminded him that he was lucky to be alive. Nearly one ton of rubble crushed him when the building that he was brawling in collapsed over his head. Such scrapes with death normally result in a life-long change in the behavior of the survivor, but as usual Bowser was too stubborn to align with the odds. After his daily stretching and cracking he sat at his desk in the corner of his room, where he structured his life around the object of his romantic obsession: Princess Peach.

With only a few hours of research and educated guesses Bowser was able to piece together Peach's itinerary for the week. He preferred to visit her when she wasn't already attending a scheduled event such as an interview, diplomatic conference, photoshoot, celebrity dancing show, charity ball etc., but sometimes she was so busy that it was unavoidable. However, this week it appeared that she had an opening at 5:00pm Thursday night. Bowser smiled to himself as he imagined driving to her castle, helping her into his car, and joking with her on the way to an expensive dinner. After his accident she had sent him a personal gift, and Bowser couldn't bear to let such a gesture go without acknowledgement. Truthfully, he would take advantage of any opportunity to spend more time with the beautiful princess.

Bowser planned the evening precisely. He would wait outside of the piano studio where Peach took her weekly lesson from 4:15pm-4:45pm, and surprise her while she was leaving. Just as he was about to look up the address and directions, he heard distinctive slow, hobbling footsteps outside the door. Don't come in, don't come in, don't come in, Bowser silently pleaded. Behind him he heard the loud whine of the doorknob. As he scrambled to remove the evidence of his controversial pastime, he heard the distinctive guttural mutter that sent waves of dread through his body.

"Son, there is something important I need to speak with you about." His father warned.

Bowser whirled around to face the sizeable Koopa that sat hunched in the chair behind him. His father had been living with a rare degenerative spinal disease ever since Bowser was young, but lately it seemed that the effects of this condition were rapidly taking their toll.

"What?" Bowser asked impatiently. Already he could anticipate what his father was going to say.

"Well, as we've talked about, now that you are of marrying age, and since there is no Koopa of royal blood that you have taken interest in, your mother and I have agreed that it's time to carryout the arrangement that was prepared for you when you were young." He relayed firmly.

"There is no way that's going to happen!" Bowser argued. "Now that I'm of age I can decide what to do with my own life instead of having it micromanaged. And I'm not marrying some random girl that happens to be royalty!"

"I recognize you're upset, but we as nobility must let go of our happiness for the survival of the kingdom. My time here is limited, you know that as I do. You have the makings of a fine king, but you can't do it alone. Our people need stability, and the assurance that our royal lineage will continue. They will not respect a pitiful king who can't woo a lady into a courtship." His father's tone was gentle, but his words burrowed into Bowser's skin like thorns. His blood seemed to curdle as rage pulsated through his body.

"You know I could go through women like used tissues, just as you do, if I wanted to!" He roared spitefully, enjoying the look of shame that briefly fell across his father's face. "But unlike you, there is only one woman that I ever want to be with: Princess Peach. And she's coming around, I know it." He said earnestly.

"How could she, with you kidnapping her all the time?!" His father interrupted, dissolving Bowser's sentimentality.

"You know that it's never been that way! It's just part of the game that we've been playing since we were children!" Bowser bellowed defensively.

"A childish game that has cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars in hospital bills. We can't keep this up, Bowser." He said evenly, trying to keep the conversation from getting more heated. He continued in a soft, grave voice. "It all has to end sometime. Either with bankruptcy or your funeral, whichever comes sooner, but this has to stop."

"It will, when I marry Princess Peach." Bowser replied simply.

"If you honestly believe that then both our kingdom and Koopa lineage will die with a fool." His father foretold sadly, his voice barely above a whisper. The conversation shuddered to a halt.

Although such an insult would usually send Bowser into a fit of rage, for some unforeseen reason, a hidden internal wellspring of compassion bubbled to the surface of his heart. Bowser looked again at his father, and saw the broken old Koopa seated before him. He had never been a perfect man or parent, but he had made sacrifices for the kingdom time and time again. Even with the numerous personal blows fired between them, Bowser understood that at the root of their disagreement lay a man who merely wanted the best for his son and the throne before his eyes closed for the last time. Bowser's countenance softened slightly.

"Look," he said sincerely, "I'll go through with the marriage arrangements, if, and only if, Princess Peach has not agreed to marry me in a year's time." Bowser vowed solemnly. His father looked at him with surprise for a moment, but in an instant it was replaced with a frown of disapproval.

"The kingdom needs to see a queen seated beside their new king before I'm gone, son." His father chided.

"But that gives me less than six months!" Bowser exclaimed.

"You said yourself she's coming around..." His father reminded.

Bowser thought for a moment, before carefully responding.

"Alright. I will go through the marriage arrangements only if Princess Peach and I are not married in the next six months." He promised.

His father nodded, a almost imperceptible smile of pride clinging to his lips. He painfully pulled himself out of the chair, and hobbled to the door. Bowser turned back around to resume his research and preparation for his evening with Peach. With the new time restriction he wanted to waste as few moments as possible. He soon became so engrossed in his work that he didn't hear his father's final comment.

"Just in case things with Princess Peach don't work out, we arranged a get-together for you and your potential bride to become acquainted. She's visiting at 5:00pm Thursday night. I expect you to look presentable and act like a gentleman."

Bowser muttered distractedly in acknowledgement, though he had not listened to his father's words. He was too busy ensuring that his evening go perfectly according to plan.

A/N: And so, the plot thickens. Side note, this is why Bowser is never addressed by an official royal title like "Prince" or "King" in _Into the Fire._ Although he is still a prince in that story, I didn't want him to be addressed as such because I didn't want readers to inadvertently imagine him as a minor because they subconsciously equate Bowser's adulthood with his kingship. Once again thank you all so much for each comment, follow and favorite! I was extremely flattered with the words of encouragement and feedback that I received. Although I write for my own enjoyment, I also write for the enjoyment of my readers, and I am more than happy to tailor this story to your preferences. Please let me know if there is anything that you would like revised/added/changed in this story! I hope you all have a marvelous day. Much love, Guardian.


	3. Sleepless

That night her bedroom was too stuffy, her pillows were too firm, and her mind churned over and over on the contents in the diary that she had found. Sleep evaded Peach. She rolled onto her other side for the hundredth time, desperately hoping to get some shut eye. Suddenly she remembered a trick that Rosalina had taught her when she was very young and they shared a room together. Peach pulled herself out of bed and ambled into the powder room. She dampened a clean, fresh wash cloth and wrung it out over the sink, getting nearly all of the water out of it. Then she returned to her room and wrapped the cool towel over her neck and chest. Peach silently thanked Rosalina, wherever she was, for the advice that still aided her. Peach shot up in bed, her thoughts striking faster than lightning. The diary! Rosalina! She ripped the covers off of her body and ran out of her room, bolting down the stairs and towards the book that held in its pages the only hope Peach had to find her missing sister.

* * *

Mario could not sleep. He had tried everything, from turning on a fan to counting Moo Moos. Nothing seemed to take his mind off of his memories. They danced and flickered beneath his eyelids, so that whenever he closed his eyes he watched them play over and over again. He blinked and surrendered himself to darkness, seeing her lips touch his for the hundredth time. The kiss had happened nearly five months ago, before both his fight with Bowser and his extensive medical procedures. But despite time's faithful dulling this memory remained painfully sharp. He saw the moment again, her lips touching his. But when she pulled away, Mario felt a deep stab of guilt flare hot in his stomach. She pulled away, flipping her gorgeous chestnut hair over her shoulder, and winking at him with a lurid blue eye. Again his conscience hung shameful in his chest, for the first kiss that he had was not with his girlfriend, Princess Peach. It was with Pauline.

Peach had begged him to attend a formal gala with her that evening, and being a good boyfriend Mario had agreed to go. But he hated her fancy socialite parties. They were filled with pompous rich people and conceited royalty who always left him feeling hollow and jealous. Although the Mario family was extremely wealthy due to their monopoly on the plumbing and appliance industry, the people in Peach's social circle sneered at his rank. They viewed his family's holdings as "dirty money," since it was acquired through hard work that didn't have an ounce of glamor to it. Mario had prepared himself for another night of thinly veiled jabs, when to his surprise he recognized Pauline. When Mario was younger his mother would often watch Pauline and her sisters to help out their family. But time and the Mario family's rise to monetary power took their toll on the children's friendship; the last time he saw her was when he was nine years old. As he remembered, she was a bit of a tomboy: she played in the mud with Mario and Luigi, hunted for worms and pill bugs in the backyard, and she was the best stone-skipper that either of the boys had ever seen. But time had changed her- she had grown out of her pigtails and overalls. Instead, Pauline wore a ravishing tight red dress, which accentuated the pair of anatomical arguments proving that she was no longer one of the boys.

She sang at the party that evening, with a sultry voice that perfectly suited the jazz music that resonated throughout the hall. Mario could have listened to that voice for hours. While Pauline took a break, he left his seat next to Peach to try the chocolate crème brulees that were being served for dessert. Aside from indulging his sweet tooth, he was grateful for the rare moment of solitude. He could tell that Peach was upset about something that evening, and her moodiness was ruining the atmosphere. He knew from past experience that trying to reason with her only made her more irritable, so in a measure of self protection he decided to wait out her storm. But when he returned to his seat, she was gone.

Assuming that Peach had left to chat with her friends, Mario continued to enjoy the gala's exquisite food, drink, and music. An hour later, once Pauline's band took their final bow for the evening, he meandered to the back of the room where the performers came off stage so that he could talk with her. His heart was beating fervently in his chest, and his nerves were racing. He felt guided by an almost magnetic force which pulled him closer and closer to Pauline. Besides desiring to catch up with his long-lost friend, Mario also wanted to optimize his girlfriend's absence. Peach was fiercely protective, and became jealous whenever Mario chatted with any other women. But since she was nowhere to be seen, it was as if fate had arranged this encounter for him. Mario watched Pauline gracefully open the back stage door, her eyes immediately finding his. Simultaneously, they advanced towards each other in perfect synchronization. And that was when his trouble began.

They found an empty dining table on the outskirts of the ballroom where their conversation burned deep into the night. She told him about her singing career, and he told her about his daring and heroic adventures. Though he tried to resist her, he could feel himself melting under those hypnotic blue eyes. Pauline's sweet but unplaceable perfume wreathed around him, further drowning him in her spell. And with every word uttered in that rich, intoxicating voice of hers, he grew more and more powerless. In the back of his mind he knew that he was too far gone, but he was too entranced to escape. Finally the clock chimed twelve, momentarily shattering Pauline's enchantment. Mario realized that this was his opportunity to depart without any regrets. He stood up, shook her hand, and bid her farewell. "You'll see me around," she had said coyly. Then she leaned in, bringing her succulent red lips to his. Time faded around them, as Mario's head exploded with color and sound and light while those tantalizing lips touched his. When she pulled away time snapped back into place and all at once his brain was buzzing and heart was stunned. Pauline flipped her shiny chestnut hair over her shoulder and winked coyly at him with her dizzying blue eyes. Then all too soon she was gone, leaving Mario frozen and wide-eyed in her wake.

But the worst part of it all wasn't the guilt, the constant loop of it running in his mind, or the withdraws. The worst part was the next day when Mario kissed Peach for the first time while rescuing her from Bowser. That was the worst, because although his lips touched hers just as Pauline's had touched his, he didn't feel a thing.

A/N: Now we've finally come full circle! Throughout this story I will continue to be writing from Peach, Mario, and Bowser's points of view. Personally I don't really have a favorite perspective among them, ok I have to confess Bowser wins by a teeny bit, but let me know if there is a character that you would like to hear more from! Thank you all so much for the support! I know I say it every time, but it's only because each comment, follow, and favorite means so much to me and are deeply appreciated. Have a stupendous day! Much love, Guardian.


	4. Thursday Night

"Are you getting ready in there?" Bowser's mother called through the door to her son.

"Yeah, just combing my hair." He replied from his room. He wanted to look perfect for his evening with Princess Peach.

"Make sure you look nice. This is very important!" His mother warned, hoping that Bowser would not only look but act presentable for his evening with the Koopa that he had been arranged to marry.

"Yes, yes it is, mom. Thank you." Bowser said hesitantly, surprised by her support. In the past his mother had disapproved of his attempts with Princess Peach, but perhaps she was finally coming to a place of understanding.

"Don't be bossy. Remember to chew with your mouth closed. And don't go on and on about yourself-pretend to be humble!" She advised. Her chest felt tight with nerves for the evening. With their family, things never went according to plan. Especially when those plans involved her eldest. But now the evening appeared to be going perfectly...

"Ok, you've helped enough, thanks." Bowser called back in a tone of dismissal. The last thing he needed was a list of his least appealing character traits.

"Alright, I'll go," she announced. "Good luck!" Then she walked down the hall to her bedroom, praying wildly to the Stars that the evening would go well for her son.

* * *

Peach's hands flew lightly across the piano keys, tickling them with each touch. And the instrument laughed in response. She was working on a piece entitled "Of Salamanders" by one of her favorite composers, Edward MacDowell. Though she cringed at the occasional mistakes that she made, she was proud to be progressing through the difficult music. When she came to the end of the piece she let her hands float delicately off the keys, so they hung suspended above them like ghosts. Goosebumps prickled her arms, which was biological proof that she had done well. Her teacher first complimented her phrasing and musical expression, and then pointed out passages that needed more practice. Peach spent the rest of the lesson carefully applying her instructor's criticisms, playing the piece again and again until it soared off her fingers.

She left the studio feeling contented with her work and eager to return home. For the first time in weeks she had a free evening all to herself, and she was hoping to spend the night leafing through her old diary. The book seemed to sharpen her existing memories and bring forgotten ones back from the recesses of her mind. Peach's older sister, Rosalina, had mysteriously disappeared from the Mushroom Kingdom when Peach was barely a teenager. Since that time her parents had been searching endlessly for their missing daughter, leaving Toadsworth to run the kingdom in their absence. But if Peach could somehow locate Rosalina, then maybe they would return to both their kingdom and their abandoned daughter... She was so lost in thought that she didn't see the large object hurtling towards her from the sky until it was almost too late.

She screamed and jumped away just in time to avoid a collision. Her heart was racing from the near-impact, but when she realized who was driving the flying car, it stopped in her chest.

"Bowser?!" She asked, incredulously. As far as she knew, he was still in the emergency room with one limb drenched in pain medicine and the other in the grave.

"The one and only!" He replied with a grin.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in a hospital?" Peach asked, her pitch raising.

"The only way to find out is to come with me." He declared as he swung open the door to the clown car.

Peach hesitated for a moment, considering her options. If she refused, he wouldn't stop pestering her until she joined him. But if she went willingly, she would be rewarded with a comedic and exaggerated account of Bowser's escape...

"You know I can't resist a good story," Peach noted, as she delicately stepped into the vehicle.

Together they flew off into the night, Bowser's voice blending with her laughter as she left her previous plans for the evening behind her. But soon an unfamiliar landscape streamed beneath the car as they rocketed through the sky. Peach had assumed that they were heading towards his castle, but instead of the darkly barren twisted tree branches that clawed up from the earth of the Darklands, she saw lush jungle foliage sprawling beneath them.

"Where are we going?" She inquired.

"I thought that you might be hungry, so we're going to get some dinner. I've heard rumors that the kabobs in Jungle World are the best ever, so we'll try them and see if it's true." He explained.

"That does sound good," Peach confessed. She was surprised and slightly confused that they were going out of their way to eat. In the past when Bowser wanted food, which was approximately every two hours, he bought it from drive-throughs and gas stations to save time while driving. Suspicion rose quietly to the back of her mind. Was this some sort of trick?

But as the car descended upon a posh yet secluded restaurant, Peach's inhibitions left her. A smile inadvertently curled on her lips. Although the evening had not gone as she had anticipated, she was not disappointed with the changes. The game that they'd been playing all their lives returned to her again as it always had, but it no longer felt familiar. New textures pulsed just beneath the surface, almost palpable as she and Bowser stepped through the establishment's front door, leaving the game, for a moment, in their wake.

* * *

Bowser could barely contain his giddiness as he flew home from his evening with Peach. A sporadic highlights reel of their final moments together played through his mind, starting with the end of their meal.

"So... Are you taking me back to your castle?" Peach asked long after they had finished eating.

"Not unless you want me to." He said easily, relishing the look of surprise on her perfect face. She gaped at him, speechless for a moment before he continued. "As much as I would love to beat the stache out of that plumber, I can't go to the hospital again. Not today. I'll make up for it in our future brawls, but in the meantime I have to recover from the last one."

"How uncharacteristically smart of you," Peach muttered, the shock worn away to reveal her biting humor.

"You're too kind, Princess," he acknowledged sarcastically, flashing her an over-the-top smile in return for the compliment.

His brain skipped ahead to another snapshot, this time to a moment in the car on the way back to the Mushroom Kingdom.

"Those were delicious kabobs, definitely the best that I've ever had," Peach confessed as they careened through the sky, soaring above the border between Jungle World and the far reaches of Mushroom Gorge.

"I think we can do better," he declared. "I won't rest until we agree that we've found the best kabobs in the whole universe."

"What about your plans for world domination?" Peach teased, her blue eyes twinkling.

"It can wait. I won't be able to conquer the galaxy without the highest quality kabobs fueling me!" He joked.

"Well, then for the good of the galaxy I will never admit that we've tried the best ones." She vowed spitefully.

"I guess we'll just have to keep tasting new ones forever." Bowser reasoned.

"I guess so." She agreed, as she flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder.

Again his memories surged forward, bringing him back to when he landed outside of the servant's entrance to the castle.

"Right here is perfect, this way I can sneak in without being noticed," Peach explained.

Bowser got out of the driver's seat and opened the car door for her. She gracefully stepped down from the vehicle and onto the grass, facing him.

"As I said maybe three hundred times tonight, thank you for the present." He said earnestly, looking down into her blue eyes.

"I'm just happy you're alive. I was so worried about you." She admitted.

Then she walked forward and gently wrapped her arms across his waist, grazing his chest with the side of her head. His heart beat wildly, and his thoughts spasmed and stalled. But he responded automatically, leaning down and crouching slightly so that they were closer to the same height. He dare not wrap his arms around her, both out of shock and the fragility of the awkward embrace.

"Thank you," she whispered softly into his ear. Then a moment later she pulled away. She left through the door behind her as if nothing had happened.

Only while flying back home did Bowser realize that she never clarified her gratitude.

But he didn't let it bother him. The evening had gone more than well, far better than he had ever expected. His head felt fluttery and light, and for the first time he was fairly confident that he would prove his father wrong. His heart was flying, joy flooding through his veins-

"Bowser Koopa, what do you have to say for yourself?!" His mother roared, waiting for him in front of the garage. His lovesickness instantly drained from his body, replaced by dread. Her tone was one that he was very familiar with, and meant only one thing: he was in deep trouble.

A/N: Unfortunately, in the near future I will not be able to update as frequently as I have been this past month. I was recently hired at a second job, and I must put my work in higher priority over my writing. However, I could never forget about you guys! Fret not, I will continue writing and posting chapters the best I can, but I'm sorry it won't be as regular as it has been. Thank you (maybe for the three hundredth time) for each and every comment, follow and favorite! Feedback is always appreciated, and it honestly makes my week. You all have been more than wonderful to me. Thank you. Much Love, Guardian.


	5. Gamer

"No, it didn't exactly happen like that." Mario replied, as he moved his pawn forward two spaces.

"Well, then if you didn't break up with her, what did you do?" Luigi prompted, also placing his pawn two squares forward on the chess board.

Since their father taught them the game when they were barely school-aged, the brothers had made a weekly tradition of discussing their lives while engaging in simulated combat on the weathered cardboard battleground.

"It's complicated. I really like her- I mean, we've known each other since we were young and we grew up together. But we just don't go together, right? She's so fancy and sophisticated, which isn't a bad thing, but I don't think that I really belong with her crowd," Mario explained while adjusting another pawn. "I wish it was like when we were young." He sighed. "When I saved her just because I wanted to be a hero. Not because I had to as her boyfriend."

"But now that Bowser's... _gone_ ," Luigi said hesitantly, careful of his brother's reaction, "you don't get to save her, one way or the other." He slid his leftmost pawn forwards a space.

"Which I tried to explain to her," Mario affirmed, "but she freaked out." He advanced his knight in the distinctive L-shaped motion.

"She thought you were ending it?" Luigi asked, knowing the answer. He positioned his pawn to defend against his brother's knight.

"Or something like that." Mario said vaguely, leaving his knight in place and moving another pawn two spaces closer to Luigi's players.

"Were you trying to break up with her?" Luigi probed. For someone so introverted he could be very observant.

"I don't know. It was all at once, you know? Like so many things going on, I couldn't really put a finger on what I was trying to say. I mean, I was wounded in the hospital for her, so I had a lot to think about." He weakly clarified.

Luigi silently moved his bishop two spaces diagonally along the board.

"Look, she's a really great girl. And because of her our family can finally achieve prestige..." Mario trailed off while he shifted his second knight across the board closer to the edge.

"It's never been your responsibility to elevate our social status," Luigi argued. He brazenly slid his bishop across the board. It collided against one of Mario's pawns with a muted tap. Stoically, he picked up the fallen piece and placed it outside of the board, near his side.

"Then why did Dad enroll me in the most selective school in the kingdom that only nobility attend? Why was I trained to fight at a young age so that I could apply for the Royal Guard and then gain King Toadstool's attention? Why was my friendship with Princess Peach under constant scrutiny?" Mario's temper flared as the questions rolled from his mouth. "I was groomed to be an aristocrat." He said solemnly. "I was raised to be a king." He sighed. "I was destined to be a hero."

"But you just said that's what you wanted." Luigi commented, confused.

"I will always want adventure and danger and someone to save. I still want to be Peach's rescuer. Not her escort." Mario explained. He moved his second knight into Luigi's pawn, evening the casualties.

His brother nodded, and pushed his bishop into position to take out one of Mario's knights.

"And on top of all that, there's someone else..." Mario muttered quietly, his face flushing slightly. Luigi's eyes fell on him with rapt attention. "Remember Pauline?" Mario asked. "Well, she was singing at this party that Peach and I went to. And she kissed me," he said bluntly, leaving no time for a response. "And, erm, I want to see her again. But I have no way of contacting her; no number, no address- not even her next performance date." He finished, removing his knight from the bishop's line of attack.

"You can't be with both of them at the same time," Luigi cautioned. He nimbly brought down Mario's knight with one of his pawns.

"I know that," Mario snapped. "I'm not asking for a morality lecture," he said hotly, and rammed his bishop forward into one of his brother's pawns. Not only did he avenge his fallen knight, but he also positioned himself so that with a few moves his brother would be in check.

"What are you asking for?" Luigi asked, unflinching to his minor loss. Seeking vengeance, he slid his bishop over one square, bringing his piece closer to Mario's king.

"Just advice, I guess. Without being condescending," Mario remarked pointedly. Realizing that his brother was preparing to put him in check, he swung his knight across the board, leaping to defend his king.

"You know that if you leave you're going to break Peach's heart," Luigi commented. "Are you willing to pursue your happiness at the expense of someone else's? Are you feelings for Pauline strong enough to warrant drastically changing your life?" Luigi moved his pawn into position to attack Mario's knight. He knew that his brother would have no option but to move his bishop from its prime position in order to keep the pawn from overtaking it.

"I don't know. It's too soon to decide," Mario responded absent-mindedly, his focus divided. His mind was whirling with strategies for winning the chess game. If he let Luigi take his only knight, he would loose a fairly powerful piece and his king would be left relatively unprotected, but it would give him time to stealthily advance upon Luigi's king with his bishop. However, if he attacked Luigi's pawn with that bishop in an effort to protect his knight, Luigi would suffer a minor loss; however, Mario would loose his opportunity to put Luigi's king in check. He was torn. He cupped his chin in his hand and scoured his eyes across the game board, desperately searching for an easy way out. Minutes dragged by as he considered his options.

"Perhaps we should take a break," Luigi suggested. "It's getting late, and the board will still be waiting here when we wake up."

"That's a good idea." Mario agreed. He knew that with time his mind would churn up an idea.

But as he fought to fall asleep his conscious was plagued, wrestling with the possibilities that the future held, both on the chess board and beyond it.

* * *

Even though he got a full night of sleep, Mario still did not know what to do. As he made himself a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, he eyed the chess game sitting on the table. Was winning the game worth the losses along the way? Would it make him happy? Would anything? Amidst his existential crisis, he heard the old landline phone ring across the hall. Slowly he dredged toward it, grateful for the distraction from his thoughts. For a second his heart jumped in his chest. Could it be Pauline?

His hand grasped the blocky body of the phone. "Hello, Mario speaking." He said automatically.

"Hey Mario, it's me, Peach!" A high-pitched voice chirped over the phone. Mario's heart sank slightly.

"Oh, hi Peach." He responded politely.

"You're not going to believe this..." She trailed off leadingly.

"What?" Mario asked, eager for her to get to the point.

"Bowser's alive. And he kidnapped me again!" She said giddily. "You can still be my hero!"

Mario's body froze in shock. It was impossible. Unimaginable.

His mind shifted. He knew that there was only one logical choice. Fate had brought him an answer. The game that he had been playing his whole life had returned to him, cyclical and predictable, comforting and familiar. Yet he still found himself unable to choose. For the first time in his life, he was in checkmate.

A/N: Hey hey hey everyone! I've missed you all so much! Hopefully I haven't been getting rusty... Thanks for all the support for this story, it really means a lot to me right now. There have been some major changes in my life, both with work and happenstances, but I am still committed to this story and all of you lovely readers. I'm sorry it's been so long! As always, comments, favorites, and follows are much appreciated. I hope you all have a fantastic day! Much love, Guardian.


	6. Clink

"No, Her Highness Lady Truffelia of Chocolate Island is the third wife of Prince Custard's cousin twice removed." Toadsworth scolded. "Once more, who is Prince Custard's half-sister's husband?"

What was left of Peach's mind struggled to find the answer. "His Majesty King Basil of... of... Pinecone Bay?" She guessed.

"Correct. With a bit more practice, you should be ready for Prince Custard's birthday celebration." He said proudly. "I'll leave you to study those flash cards," he remarked as he left Peach to review the complicated family relations alone in her room.

Once he was gone, she plunged her head into her pillow and screamed at the top of her lungs. Her brain felt like a slushy in her skull, and her eyes hurt from staring at the paper cards. The party was just a few days away, and Peach was no where near close to having memorized all of Prince Custard's extended family. Although she knew that her struggles were not in vain-she couldn't bear to call someone by the wrong name at the ball- she despised learning genealogies. She felt a rising tide of anxiety swell in her chest as her thoughts flickered erratically, jumping from members of the royal family to the reinstatement of their childhood game to flashbacks from her youth to her sister's disappearance to Bowser's body buried under the rubble of a fight that she ultimately caused to the drop in Mario's voice when she told him that his nemesis was still alive and that they could still be together to Toadsworth's disapproving scowl at every question she got wrong. Overwhelmed she screamed again until her throat felt dry and achy, but she still couldn't shake the images from her mind. In defeat Peach rolled over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, letting her memories take hold of her consciousness. Almost instantly, she was pulled back into that recess of her first day of first grade...

"Let's climb to the top of the tower!" Bowser yelled excitedly into Peach's ear.

"Ok," Peach replied, taking a step back from her noisy new friend as she massaged her ringing ear.

Together they scrambled up the steps of the wooden play structure of the tall lookout tower. From there they could see the whole playground beneath them. Peach daintily sat down and began preparing imaginary tea, just as she did when she played tea party with her older sister Rosalina.

"What are you doing?" Bowser asked, as he crouched down beside her.

"I'm making tea." Peach said matter-of-factly. "One lump or two." She stated automatically, though she didn't really know what the phrase meant.

"Tea isn't going to help us fight bad guys!" Bowser laughed. "How about you're making a sword." He suggested.

"But I didn't invite any bad guys to the tea party." Peach clarified.

"No, no, no. Pretend we're on a space ship and we're getting ready to fight bad guys who are chasing us."

"How would they be chasing us in space?" Peach questioned rationally.

Bowser huffed in annoyance. "Fine, we're not in space. Pretend we're secret spies-"

"Who are having a tea party." She interrupted instinctively, though immediately afterward she felt rude for her outburst.

"But we have to get ready to fight because bad guys are going to get us and keep us from taking over the world." Bower finished.

Satisfied that they would still be having a tea party, Peach went back to pouring the imaginary beverage and repeating the phrases that she had overheard her mother use. "How are you today? I am so pleased that we planned this occasion."

"My name is Bowser Koopa and I am waiting for the bad guys."

Peach faltered, unsure of how to respond.

"Would you care for refresh mints?" She sputtered, offering what she believed was customary to Bowser.

"Yes." He mimed putting the mint into his mouth. "Yummy."

"The tea should be cool enough to drink now." Peach informed him, and delicately held up her imaginary teacup with her pinkie extended. Bowser copied her, although it looked more like the "hang loose" symbol when he did it. "Now we clink," she advised, bringing her imaginary cup to his.

"Clink." He said once the cups touched.

Peach took a sip of tea gracefully. Even though she was unsure about her new friend, it seemed that the tea party game was going well. As she drank she tried to think of other things that she knew were related to tea parties.

"Oh no! Here they come!" Bowser yelled without warning at the top of his lungs, scaring Peach. "Get your gun out! We have to fight them!" He screamed while making sound effects with finger guns. "There's one coming right for you!"

Peach was bewildered. This was not how games were supposed to go! But he made everything seem so real that she felt a surge of panic at the prospect of getting attacked. Thinking quickly, she dumped the imaginary tea pot on her make-believe attacker. In her mind's eye she watched as they ran screaming away from her.

"I dumped my tea on their face!" Peach said proudly.

"There's too many of them," Bowser narrated between gun-noises. "We've got to get out of here-follow me!" He called as he raced down from the play structure.

Peach's heart was beating rapidly as she sped after him, dodging bad guys as she fled. Together they ran around the playground while fighting the few brave enough to follow them. Finally they were both too winded to make sound effects, so they returned to the top of the tower.

"This is our base now," Bowser panted. "We'll be safe here."

Peach's heart was racing and adrenaline was rushing through her. She had never experienced a game like that, but then again she had never felt such excitement from playing pretend.

"That was fun!" Peach laughed, still trying to catch her breath.

"We should play this every recess," Bowser agreed.

They grew quiet for a moment as they both sat there, exhausted.

"When I'm a grown-up, I'm going to take over the world for real." He said suddenly.

"You can't do that. That's mean," Peach argued.

"It's not mean if people are happier when I rule over them," Bowser explained.

"Just don't take over my kingdom," Peach warned, knowing that she would not be happier with Bowser ruling her home.

"I would never do that. Just so long as you conquer the world with me."

She paused a moment to consider his remark. "Only if it makes people happier." She added.

"Deal." He said.

"Deal." She conceded.

"Clink?" He offered, holding his imaginary cup out to her.

She extended her tea cup towards his. "Clink." She whispered, so only he could hear.

Suddenly Peach was wrenched back to the present as she felt her eyes ripen with tears. She closed them sorrowfully, letting the water slip through her eyelashes and run down her cheeks. Regret washed over her body, and she wished fervently that she could go back to that day and keep her past self from ever agreeing to Bowser's request. Silently she crept out of bed and over to her desk where her flashcards lay. Shakily she picked up the first paper and began rehearsing for the party that she no longer wanted to attend.

A/N: Fun fact: Tea party spies just so happens to be a real game I used to play with my brother, except instead of a tea party I pretended that I was a spy who was working undercover as a waitress who was serving another spy before the bad guys came to get us both. Good times, good times. Anyway, thank you so much for reading this! And thank you for the wonderful comments, I always appreciate them so much. You all are the sweetest! I hope that you have especially good luck today- let me know if it happens in the comments! Much love, Guardian.


	7. Red Letter

Bowser retreated into his room in a rage after the lively discussion with his parents about his whereabouts Thursday evening. He was radiating with spite and his head was filled with devious schemes. I'll show them, he thought, they can't control me! Never have and never will. His parents had forcibly revoked his car keys, essentially detaining him within the castle. Unfortunately this also meant that they were at the mercy of their new prisoner. Punishments never worked with Bowser, even as a child he saw them as an opportunity to challenge authority. He laughed quietly to himself as he plotted, each idea more outlandish and nefarious than the last. Not wanting to forget any of his precious schemes, he walked to his desk where he kept his notebooks that were filled from page to page with his messy-scrawled handwriting. But as he reached his workspace a mysterious piece of paper caught his eye. He turned it over, and read the first line that was penned in unfamiliar lacey writing:

Dear Asshole,

In shock he continued.

Thanks for ditching your would-be-wife on the first date. I was really looking forward to meet you, but I guess that first impressions really do speak louder than words. Perhaps you are as bad as your reputation would lead me to believe. Hopefully you're able to redeem yourself. Because even though this isn't my first choice, I'm willing to try to get along together. Are you?

Sincerely,

Countess Clawdia

Bowser was stunned. He couldn't believe she had the nerve to come into his room while he was gone and leave such an intrusive letter! Obviously she was delusional, thinking that she could merely waltz into the Prince of the Darklands' private quarters and meddle with his stuff! Bowser didn't know whether to be impressed or infuriated. After a moment, he settled with being thoroughly offended. He rationalized that such a flippant action couldn't be left unanswered. Freshly inspired, Bowser flipped open his notebook and began writing furiously, carefully preparing to make the lives of three foolish people living hell.

* * *

Mario walked to the mailbox on his way back from taking out the trash. He and Luigi alternated chores every week to ensure that their house didn't fall into complete disarray. But when he arrived it appeared that his brother had neglected to empty it days earlier. The box was bulging with letters, so much so that the latch in front had almost come undone. Frowning with annoyance at Luigi's carelessness, Mario carefully opened the front and released the sea of envelopes and magazines from their resting place. He awkwardly gathered all the mail into his arms and brought it inside, dumping it all on the kitchen table to be sorted. An impatient sigh escaped from his lips as he began to sift through the mountain.

'Vote Professor Elvin Gadd for City Counsel!' Mario placed the brochure into the junk pile.

'Mustache Weekly: Top Ten Best Styles for Your Face Shape!' Mario sorted the magazine into the Luigi pile.

'Buy one get one for $5.99 Tuesday at Toadini's Pizza!' Coupon pile.

'PlumberMag: Modern Materials and Vacuum Pump Tips.' Mario pile.

'You just qualified for an ALL EXPENSES PAID THREE NIGHT TRIP TO KOOPA CAPE!' Junk pile.

'Last Chance to Buy "PLUMBOY" Monthly Subscription for $49.99!' After a moment of hesitation, junk pile.

As Mario quickly sorted through the mail his thoughts gradually turned towards Princess Peach. He had spoken only briefly to her since she called him, and he knew that he should probably spend some time with her. But his heart just wasn't in it. They always did the same things together: going to see a rom-com at the theater, eating out at an over-priced restaurant, and attending lavish gatherings. Maybe he could-

An envelope caught his eye. Unlike the weekly bills and the letters from their grandma, this one wasn't addressed to "The Mario Brothers." Only Mario's name was written on the front. Even more surprising, there was no return address listed in the upper left-hand corner. Perplexed, he slid his finger along the underside of the front fold and opened the envelope. Inside was a scrap of paper and one concert ticket. He began to read the spikey handwriting.

Hey Mario, it's Pauline. I'm coming to the Mushroom Kingdom in three weeks for a gig, hope to see you there! Maybe we can take care of some unfinished business... XOXO

Mario was utterly shocked. He gripped the letter tightly as his mind swirled with the possibilities that the future held. His pulse raced at the thought of seeing Pauline again. But his stomach dropped at the thought of hurting Princess Peach. Suddenly queasy, he numbly carried out the rest of his day, distracted by the free ticket that loomed in the forefront of his mind.

* * *

Once again Princess Peach opened up the precious sparkly pink diary that she kept hidden under her bed. She was exhausted after a busy week of photoshoots for her latest jewelry line: Peaches and Cream. It featured rose gold earrings, pink diamond rings and pearl bracelets. Although the sight of another shiny pink item slightly nauseated her, she still eagerly flipped open the journal to the second page.

I lik my teechur. She is nice.

Peach cringed at the misspellings and useless information. She turned the next page.

I wint to a party. It was fun.

No help there, Peach thought impatiently.

Dear Mom, I hate you. Sinsearly, Peach.

Suddenly she was hurled back in time.

"Thank you for the food we eat. Thank you for the friends we meet. Bless us and bless what's ours. Watch over us, our lucky Stars." Her mother finished, before beginning to delicately pick at her salad.

Peach was so grateful that the prayer was over; it was so hard to wait to even a few minutes eat when she was starving! Ravenously she began to devour her dinner.

"So, what did you girls do in school today?" Her mother asked, glancing at her two daughters. Peach's father was traveling for business, so it was just the three of them that night.

"We began learning about fractions and decimals," Rosalina said politely, speaking only after she had swallowed.

"That sounds fascinating. And what about you, Peach?" Their mother questioned.

Copying her big sister, Peach hastily gulped down her bite before answering. "Our teacher taught us how to write letters."

"That's wonderful dear." Her mother stated automatically, still smiling proudly at her oldest child. "You've always been so smart Ro. But remember: school isn't everything! We've got your televised appearance tomorrow and I don't want you staying up late reading again." Her voice changed to a warning tone.

"Yes mother." Rosalina replied sadly. Silence fell over the table.

"Can I invite someone over this week?" Peach asked, sensing that something was wrong but unsure of how to fix it.

"I think Friday evening would work. Who do you want to invite?" Her mother asked, finally giving Peach her full attention.

"Just a friend I made at school." She answered simply between mouthfuls.

"It's only been two weeks and you already have friends, that's wonderful sweetheart!" Peach smiled at her mother's praise. "So, tell us about this new friend-is she royalty?"

"Yes, but he's a boy." Peach revealed nonchalantly.

"What Kingdom is he from?" Her mother inquired after a sip of wine.

"The Darklands." She said casually. Stunned silence followed her reply as Peach's mother struggled to swallow her wine.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, but I don't think that it will work out." She explained carefully.

"Why not?" Peach asked, confused.

"Well, Queen Ruby's son, erm, that whole family, to put it delicately, is very different from us. They don't have the same long-standing traditions and values that we have in the Mushroom Kingdom. They are mean, cruel people who would rather settle their disputes in conflict rather than civilized treaties and agreements. It's for the best if you don't spend much time with that boy." Her mother's sharp blue eyes bore into Peach's slightly lighter ones as she spoke.

"But he's my friend..." She protested while glancing at Rosalina to garner some support. Her sister remained stonily silent.

"Sometimes friendships have to be sacrificed for diplomacy. It's your responsibility as a Princess to make tough choices for the good of the kingdom." Her mother urged.

"Then I hate being a Princess!" She shouted, her anger getting the better of her.

"That's enough!" Her mother chided sternly. "Regardless of your feelings you are a Princess. And a Princess does not raise her voice. Go to your room."

Hot shameful tears rolled down her face as Peach ran to her bedroom. With fierce determination she opened her diary and practiced writing a letter just as her teacher had shown her. Yet even after she finished she still felt agitated, her head buzzing with questions.

Princess Peach was thrown back into the present with the same confusion lingering in her mind. But though she tried to make sense of her memories she could not seem to connect the pieces together.

A/N: I hope this long chapter makes up for by extended absence. Part of what took me so long was figuring out the point of views I was going to use. I really really wanted to write a section from Clawdia's perspective about how she was essentially "stood up" but I figured that it didn't completely fit because this story is about Mario, Bowser, and Peach, and it would be weird to hear her perspective once but then never again. Anyway, if you guys want me to I would be willing to write a oneshot from Claudia's point of view, but if that doesn't sound interesting I won't take time away from writing this story. Thank you so much for the kind comments! They really mean a lot to me and I can never thank you enough for your support. See you soon (hopefully)! Much Love, Guardian


	8. Chain

Bowser's heart quickened in his chest with anticipation for his pranks to be uncovered. He had hidden twelve electric alarm clocks in difficult-to-reach-places throughout the castle, each set to ring at various times. Although it had been laborious, he had replaced each clock's bell-tone with his own rendition of 'Never Gonna Give You Up,' which by itself was torture. He put dish soap around the tiling in his parents' room while they were sleeping, so that when they awoke in the morning they would fall while attempting to turn the light on. But Bowser took his villainy even further- he filled all the coffee bags in the kitchen cupboards with decaf. Then he mailed 200 envelopes to Clawdia's address, each with a note that read:

Dear Bothersome Ball-And-Chain,

I hope you like getting these intrusive letters, since that seems to be your preferred form of introduction. Also as far as my reputation is concerned, no matter what you've heard I'm far worse. I don't want to even meet you, much less get along with you. Luckily, I won't have to when Princess Peach agrees to marry me. I would say goodbye, but I hope nothing good ever happens to you. So just bye.

Sincerely, His Royal Majesty and Supreme Ruler Bowser Koopa.

In hindsight he realized that his message was a bit harsh, but he rationalized that he was just getting even with her for trespassing in his room. Finally, Bowser ordered a dozen pink roses to be sent to Peach's doorstep in the Mushroom Kingdom. It killed him that he couldn't deliver the gift in person, but without transportation he would have to make compromises in his plan to win her heart: a mission that he'd been failing since childhood.

From the first moment that he met Peach he was drawn to her. She was the exact opposite of him: delicate, artistic, self-controlled, and it bewildered him how someone could be so perfect and yet so different from himself. Even more baffling, her uniqueness didn't equate to weakness: she was the only person who didn't show a glimmer of fear when he challenged her and the only person who could ever best him in an argument. There would never be another girl like her, and that made him want her all the more. He would do anything for her, even intentionally lose each fight with Mario just so that she could go back to the kingdom that she loved. Even if it meant that she'd be happier away from him...

Bowser shook his head to clear his thoughts. The past was behind him, and dwelling on it would only distract him from his future. Suddenly, he heard a loud crash coming from his parents' bedroom. His mouth broke into a grin as he listened to the stream of curses that followed the sound. His plan was going perfectly.

* * *

Five days later, Bowser was still in solitary confinement. His father's patience had dwindled considerably after the third alarm clock went off, and once the fourth began singing from inside the decorative bust of King Stoik III, his tolerance of his son's pranks was gone completely. With the help of the castle guards, Bowser was detained in his room, only to be released upon the King's orders. The indefinite sentence aggravated Bowser, and with nothing else to do with his time, he plotted his escape. Every day he carefully heated the door's hinges with his fire-breath, just enough so that the metal was barely warped but the wood remained unburned. Finally, it appeared that the entryway would give. Once it got dark Bowser intended to break down the door and prepare a new round of pranks, as many as needed to get the car keys back. He looked outside his window and saw the afternoon sun in the sky. By sunset he would be free.

"Hey, are you awake in there?" A loud voice called from beyond the room.

"Yes." Bowser replied jadedly to his mother.

"Then listen up jailbird. Your father and I have decided to revoke your punishment and give you an opportunity to regain your keys." She stated directly, never one to waste her breath.

"Really?" He asked skeptically. Was this some sort of joke?

"The only caveat is that you must be ready with your hair combed and wearing your best clothes in an hour." She explained.

"Ok." He acquiesced reluctantly. Bowser hated being fancy and figured that his parents' request was meant to prolong his suffering even once he was released from his cell.

"See you in an hour- oh, and don't sing. Ever again." She finished.

"Thanks mom," He said sarcastically while he began putting on his suit.

* * *

Precisely one hour later, the sound of the key turning in the lock was like music to Bowser's ears. Once the door opened he saw his mother in the hallway, her eyes flicking up and down to make sure that he had done a satisfactory job. She was also dressed in things she rarely wore, including an expensive black dress, glossy red heels and a diamond tiara.

"What's going on?" Bowser asked.

"Just come downstairs to the dining table." She replied ominously.

Cautiously, he followed her as they wound around the spiral staircase towards the dining room. As they walked Bowser could hear people talking beneath them. Was this some sort of public humiliation?

But as he arrived at the bottom of the steps he realized that it was worse: a formal dinner party. His father sat at the head of the dining table, flanked by two other Koopas and their daughter. Nausea dropped through Bowser's chest as he began to put the pieces of his redemption together while his mother pulled him towards their guests.

"Thank you so much for coming, Duke and Duchess Clarriot. This is my son, Prince Bowser." His mother announced. "Bowser, this is Duke Clarriot's daughter, Countess Clawdia."

Bowser gulped. "Pleased to meet you." He said quickly, not daring to look at her as he took a seat.

"It's an honor." She replied, her voice steely. "I'm glad you could join us this evening."

His mother laughed nervously in an attempt to dissipate the tension in the room. "Well, at least everyone can be here tonight, including the delicious roast goose!"

"Yes, thank you for your hospitality." Duchess Clarriot added in a nasally voice. Bowser dared to peak up at the speaker from his empty plate. Duchess Clarriot was a very thin Koopa with terse lips and slightly saggy skin. Her brittle hair was an electric blue color, though judging from her roots it was likely dyed.

"We are so grateful for your attendance at this gathering tonight. All of us are anxious to grow fonder of Countess Clawdia." Bowser's father graciously commented.

"Agreed. Clawdia, tell them about yourself." Duke Clarriot commanded. Once again Bowser quickly glanced up at the stranger sitting across from him. Duke Clarriot was a short Koopa with glasses, thick sideburns and frizzy purple hair that engulfed his head like a bubble. Based upon her parents' looks, Clawdia's appearance wasn't promising.

"I'm really into art and activism, basically. I was a speaker at the annual Koopas Against Unsustainable Resources march two weeks ago, and last year I donated nearly two thousand dollars to charity with the sale of my paintings." She explained. Bowser was shocked. He had never imagined Clawdia to be so original!

"That's wonderful! Bowser has done some impressive things too..." His mother trailed off, elbowing him in the side.

"Yeah, um, I, uh, volunteered to help demolish an old building that was structurally unsound and, uh, in violation of fire-safety codes." He ad-libbed.

"So considerate!" Duchess Clarriot gushed.

Before they could ask more questions, to Bowser's relief, the dining staff arrived with the meal. Conversation died down as they began eating the tender roast goose, buttery mashed potatoes and maple-glazed carrots. As he shoveled the succulent bites into his mouth, Bowser's curiosity plagued him. Though he didn't want to risk making eye contact with Clawdia, he had to put a face to her words. Ever so slightly, he inclined his head towards her.

Once again, she was nothing like he'd anticipated. She was short, like her father, and had her mother's watery blue eyes. But apart from that she looked nothing like her parents. She had a full frame, unlike her mother, with deep magenta hair and several piercings on her ears. She was far prettier than most of the royal Koopas that Bowser had seen. Yet even though she defied his expectations, he still didn't like her. She came across as very self-righteous, and continued to prove herself as such while discussing politics with his parents over dinner.

"Therefore, a canal between the mining district and the logging district would not only be an economically viable solution, but also an ecologically sustainable means to solve the transportation problems caused by geographic barriers between the two regions." Clawdia finished firmly, finally ending her excruciatingly long analysis of potential fixes to a minute issue.

"Thank you for your advice, I will be sure to bring up your points in the coming board meeting," Bowser's father said with sincere gratitude.

"And thank you for dinner, the goose was so flavorful!" She replied cordially.

The table became quiet as the conversation rolled to a stop. Suddenly, Bowser's mother sat up abruptly in her chair, overcome with an idea.

"Well, since we're all done eating, why don't you give Countess Clawdia a personalized tour of the castle?" She suggested pointedly while staring threateningly at her son.

"That sounds like a great idea." Bowser answered with the faintest touch of sarcasm.

"Yes, I'd love that." Clawdia commented, her voice ringing with false cheeriness and her eyes boring into him. He resisted looking up into to her optics.

"Let's get started right away then, we have a lot of ground to cover." His voice dripped with forced pleasantness.

"Wonderful." She said with a tight smile.

Inwardly screaming, Bowser got out of his seat and advanced towards Clawdia, purposely taking as long as possible to reach her. While he walked his eyes glanced out the window and took in the majestic scenery outside. The sky was splashed with the vibrant colors of a warm sunset at the peak of its glory, and in the foreground stood sprawling trees darkened by the bright beams. But with a beaten sigh, Bowser continued to amble forward, leaving his freedom and the forest bathed in the sun's fading light trapped beyond the glass behind him.

A/N: I'm back! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, once again I'm so sorry its been taking me so long to get these past few chapters written. Thank you so much for each comment, follow and favorite! Every bit of acknowledgement and attention is extremely meaningful to me. I hope you all have a fantastic holiday season, you are all so important and wonderful! Much love, Guardian.


	9. Stance

"He's been sending you roses every single day?" Princess Daisy asked with astonishment.

"Yeah, it's been more than a week now and I'm running out of places to put them." Princess Peach answered as she leafed through the ballet program that was handed out before the performance started.

"Huh. That's so unlike him. Usually he just kidnaps you." Daisy pointed out, her eyes fixed on the closed red curtains in front of them.

"I know, I wonder if everything is ok. Hopefully nothing is wrong." Peach fretted.

"Something's definitely wrong here, hon." Daisy said as she pointed to her cousin's brain. "Are you seriously worried about the guy who is creepily obsessed with you, stalks you and frequently holds you hostage?"

Peach held her tongue as she turned one of the pages.

"You could have died in that fire." Daisy added, but her comments remained unacknowledged by her cousin. After a pause, she added, "I just want you to be safe, that's all."

"I know," Peach reassured her, "but it's more complicated than you know." She sighed. "Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and keep everything from getting so messy."

"Do you even remember a time before the conflict between you three?" Daisy probed.

"Barely. That was before Mario transferred to our school in the middle of the year." Peach reflected. "He didn't know anyone except for me, so naturally we stuck together. But he and Bowser never got along, and you know how that turned out." She finished, her eyes resting on the papers in front of her, though not reading the pages.

Her cousin nodded and stayed silent for a minute. Before she could say anything, the house lights dimmed and the polite chatter around them faded away. Music began to swell from the orchestra pit as the musicians introduced the overture. Achingly sweet violins cast glittering high notes in the air while mellow bass notes fell like water droplets into a shallow bucket. But as the opening piece played Peach was distracted. Her cousin was right. The game between the three of them had gone on for far too long with far too many consequences. Peach knew that she possessed the power to end the fighting, but even though she could envision sending the roses back and buying an engagement ring for Mario, she couldn't imagine herself actually going through with it. Ashamed, she knew that she couldn't live without being sought after.

The curtains opened, interrupting Peach's thoughts, revealing the company of thirty dancers frozen in rows on the stage. Suddenly, they came alive in unison, moving as a whole organism together, each motion bleeding effortlessly into the next. While they twirled and leapt around the stage, a story began to emerge from their collective being. The principal ballerina danced apart from the crowd, portraying a young peasant girl in ragged clothes. Another dancer stepped forward as the peasant girl's mother, her face marked with exaggerated wrinkles that could be seen from the seats in the far back of the theater. After a short duet together, the mother began a solo in which she began to tell her daughter a story of magical sprites living within an enchanted forest. An ensemble of dancers dressed in light green tutus pranced lightly around the stage depicting the impish creatures. But she warned that the sprites were untrustworthy and crafty, and forbade her daughter from going into the forest alone at night. With the end of the tale and the opening number the performers froze as they received warm applause from the audience. Peach sat at the edge of her seat, anticipating what was to come.

Once again the music began, and the company exited the stage, leaving the principal ballerina to introduce a long and challenging solo. With her movements she showed the peasant girl's conflicted desires: though she wanted to obey her mother, she also wanted to explore the enchanted forest. Finally she decided that she would enter the woods, but would leave at sunset before nightfall. The music turned ominous and the curtains closed as the peasant girl danced off towards the forest.

The house lights came back on as the audience applauded the first act. Peach glanced over at Daisy to find that her cousin was asleep.

"Daisy! Wake up!" She laughed quietly as she gently shook her side.

"Is it over?" Daisy asked loudly.

"No, it's only intermission." Peach answered with an amused smile.

"Next time I have insomnia, just remind me to go to a ballet," Daisy joked. "But do you like the show so far?"

"Oh yes, " Peach answered enthusiastically. "The performance is so artistic and the story sheds a unique light upon the burden of curiosity and the intrinsic human need to obey under the guise of a simple folktale."

"Geez, I didn't ask for a college lecture!" Daisy playfully complained.

"I'm surprised that you would even know what a lecture sounds like, since you skipped class so often!" Peach teased.

"Hey!" Daisy protested as she softly punched her cousin's arm.

But before Peach could get even, the house lights dimmed once again, signaling the end of intermission. The princesses quieted down as people hurriedly returned to their seats before the curtains were raised. Music drifted up from the pit as the orchestra began to play, revisiting the previous themes from the overture. Then the heavy drapes lifted to reveal the peasant girl dancing amidst a forest of glittering paper trees. As she wove and spun through the woods the music seemed to change shape, diverging from classical to folk. A cluster of dancers wearing light green tutus and leotards entered the scene, holding props resembling musical instruments. Realizing that she had encountered the sprites, the peasant girl hid behind one of the trees and watched their celebratory song and dance. The sprite ensemble moved in perfect unison together, blending classical ballet technique with traditional dance steps. The ending of their jig was met with lively applause from the audience.

Realizing that they were being watched, the sprites invited the peasant girl to join in their merriment. Hesitantly, she emerged from her hiding place and began to dance to an enchanting fiddle reel while they clapped to the beat around her. As the music continued the lighting on the stage grew dimmer, signaling that sunset was approaching. But though the peasant girl tried to leave the forest, she couldn't control her dancing. True horror flashed across the principal ballerina's face as she acted as if she were unable to stop her movements. The lighting grew dimmer still, signaling that sunset was at hand. But the peasant girl could not get away. The pace of the music increased, growing faster and faster. She spun impossibly quickly, her body blurring and bending against the rhythm, desperately trying to escape the spell. Her feet flew rapidly underneath her, churning and tumbling to the beat. Faster, faster, faster, faster still, faster, faster-

She fell to the ground, still. The sprites bled into the backdrop of the enchanted forest, disappearing into the night. The stage was eerily quiet as the final lights went out above the motionless principal ballerina, leaving a foolish peasant girl lying unmoving in a silent wood. The curtain fell to thunderous applause.

"That was so dark!" Daisy said as they joined the crowd shuffling out of the theater.

"Art often is," Peach answered rather philosophically.

"But that part where she collapsed? I wonder how many bruises that poor dancer has just from doing the falling bit each night," her cousin pondered. "Her acting was so good too, it must have been really hard to make it seem like she couldn't stop dancing."

Before Peach could reply, she was distracted by someone far ahead of them in the crowd. She was a tall woman with long platinum-blonde hair, wearing a simple sky blue dress and sparkling star shaped earrings. Rosalina. Peach heart quickened at the realization that she had finally found her sister. Every instinct screamed to run up to her, but she controlled herself and took a moment to think. What would she say? Would her sister say anything? What would she do? Would reconnection make their lives better? Just like the peasant girl, Peach had to make a choice. As she pushed through the crowd she prayed that she would be able to dance out of the enchanted forest alive.

A/N: Up until this point, Peach's storyline has mostly been around to facilitate flashbacks, but I felt that it needed to go somewhere (I mean, it's the ninth chapter, it's time for something to happen!) I really hope it didn't come out boring, and though it is a little random and unstructured, I didn't want to get to the point too quickly. Plus it was good practice for me to work on description, which is an area that I can definitely grow in as a writer. So I'm sorry if this isn't your favorite chapter, but at least something is finally happening with our buddy Princess Peach. As always, thank you for reading, and thank you a million times more for each comment follow and favorite on this story! I read each one of them and take all feedback to heart, let me know what you think about the story and how I can make it better! I hope you all have a magical day, and watch out for those evil sprites! Much love, Guardian.

P.S My new year's resolution is to update more frequently!


	10. Blues

"How do I look?" Peach asked, strutting out of the dressing room wearing a hideous floral dress complete with puffy shoulder pads and gaudy plastic jewelry adhered to the front.

Mario barely cracked a smile. "Still gorgeous," he replied generously through gritted teeth as she tromped back to the fitting room.

He had spent the past six hours seated in various uncomfortable plastic chairs outside changing rooms, watching Peach model countless outfits for the ballet she was planning to attend in three days. At some point her mindset had shifted from trying to find a suitable dress to trying to put together the most perfectly tasteless ensemble, to Mario's irritation. Although Peach was enjoying herself, he couldn't help but view her silliness as a waste of time. She had already bought five dresses for the event, so that she would have five options to choose from depending on her color preference that day. That was hours ago. And afterward the next several hours crawled by agonizingly slowly.

"What about this?" Peach stepped in front of him modeling an electric pink dress with sickening green fringe.

"Even worse than the last one," Mario said with a tired grin.

She grinned triumphantly and returned to the dressing room once again.

His mental energy all but gone, Pauline's ticket fought its way to the forefront of his mind. The concert was only two days away. He knew he couldn't go. But still, he had been spending a lot of time with Peach. He needed a break. She wouldn't have to know. She'd find out somehow. She'd get mad. What did she have to get mad about? It was just a concert. Unless Pauline followed through on their unfinished business. No. He'd just go to the performance and leave. He wouldn't even talk to Pauline. Still, it didn't seem right. He had a girlfriend. Wait... Maybe Pauline didn't know that Peach was his girlfriend. Although it was basically common knowledge, maybe she didn't pay attention to celebrity news. Maybe she needed an informant...An informant who couldn't help but get one last encounter with the girl he had to turn down.

"Ok, check out this one." Peach crowed as she posed wearing a blue sequined button-up dress shirt and a velvet skirt in aged yellow.

"Magnificent!" Mario praised, his eyes distant, a true smile finally gracing his lips.

* * *

Two days later, Mario found himself nervously gripping his car's steering wheel as he drove downtown towards the secluded jazz club. He kept ducking down periodically, sure that someone would see him if he didn't take precautions. Luckily it was a drizzly day in the Mushroom Kingdom, and the fog concealed him slightly. As his GPS led him closer to the destination, he grew mildly concerned. He was expecting the jazz club to be in the ritzy part of the city, where many of Peach's social events were, but the buildings around him looked run-down and neglected with graffiti staining the sides. Did he misremember the address? Yet as he rolled closer he spied the name that was on his ticket: The Blue Eyed Goomba. He swallowed his nerves, parked his car and locked it, then doubled back to make sure that it was truly locked before heading towards the club.

After handing his ticket to an intimidating bouncer, Mario entered into the building and gaped at the visually stunning interior. Antique couches and lounge chairs were spread around the small stage, while decorative lamps and lanterns illuminated the room in a hazy golden light. Servers ambled around the guests, refilling wine glasses and bringing appetizers. It was a true hidden gem, and he instantly fell in love with the unique yet sultry atmosphere.

Once he had ordered a light dinner, the lights dimmed slightly indicating that the live music would begin. His heart started to pound as he waited for Pauline to appear. He wondered if she would even notice him amidst the crowd. He watched as the pianist, bassist, and guitarist walked on stage to tune their instruments together. After a minute the drummer joined them, along with a trumpet player. Mario could tell that they were all talking about something, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. Eventually they all nodded in agreement and seemed to settle in with their instruments. Then, finally, Pauline strolled elegantly to the microphone.

She was utterly stunning. The crowd held and lingered on every note that dripped from her mouth. Her voice was deep and intoxicating, the kind that comes from knowing the miseries of the world but mulling them into sweet, soul-jerking lullabies. Pauline worked the room, her blue eyes drawing everyone under their spell while she teased and flirted with those seated in the front. But it seemed that those lurid blue eyes always returned to gaze into Mario's. And as the performance went on, her air-kisses always appeared to fly in his general direction. By the end of the night, he felt like he was the only one in the room.

After the show, Mario sat breathless, his ears still ringing with Pauline's enchanting voice. He waited thirty minutes for her to emerge from the backstage door while many of the other audience members left the club. In the meantime he looked over the performance calendar that was attached to the back of the menu. Unfortunately, this was the only time that Pauline and her band would be playing.

"So, how was it?"

Mario looked up, startled. "Pauline, you were incredible." He praised.

"I'm so glad you could come," she said coyly, her speaking voice every bit as captivating as her singing voice.

"I've never been to a place like this before, the old furniture creates such an interesting atmosphere," he forced out, his brain melting in her presence.

She smirked and tossed her chestnut hair over her shoulder. "I didn't invited you here just so you could admire the interior decorating," she teased. "Come on, let's go backstage. You'll see that the atmosphere there is even better." She said with a wink.

Mario followed Pauline through the obscured door in the far back of the room. The hallway behind the entrance was dark, and he felt her grasp his hand and begin to lead him through the narrow corridor. She steered them right and left, winding through the maze of stairwells and hallways. After a final turn she brought him out of the dark and into the brightness of her small warmup room. It was cramped, containing merely a cluttered vanity, a worn leather couch and a coffee table.

"Sit down," she offered, gesturing to the couch.

Although he took his place on the sofa, she remained standing and wandered towards the vanity.

"I'm so disorganized," she laughed as she inspected the numerous items on her dressing table. "Most of this is makeup anyway. I have so many different kinds, sometimes it's hard to choose what to wear for my shows." She uncapped a tube of lipstick and twisted the base, revealing the deep crimson tip. "Should I have worn this one?" She asked the mirror as she easily slid the color over her lips. "What do you think?" She faced him.

Mario struggled to think as he stared at her mouth. "Red is always a nice color," he stated, trying to be polite.

"It's one of my favorites." She sat down next to him on the couch. He could feel the warmth of her breath on his ear as she spoke deep and soft."It looks even better up close," her lips puckered slightly. She leaned in slowly, her eyes closing,-

"Pauline, I can't do this." Mario stammered out, shattering the moment and pulling away from her. "Look, I really like you, and trust me it's killing me to say no, but" he met her eyes sadly, "I have a girlfriend. She's Princess Peach."

"I know." Pauline stated bluntly, her shimmering blue eyes narrowed.

"You know? Then why did you...?" He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

"I don't care that you're with someone." She answered honestly. "I travel so much for gigs that I can't make full commitments, and I don't expect you to make any either. I only ask that you make time for me, just when I'm in town. You'd do that, for a friend?" Her voice turned into a silky whisper, though unwavering in its determination.

Mario's brain stalled, unable to think.

"I could take you places, you know. This isn't the only hidden club in the city. We'd go where Princess Peach would never set foot, where we could be alone and no one would know a thing. Nothing bad would happen, I promise. But you have to trust me." She soothed, her eyes cruel and beautiful, fully aware of their power. "Do you trust me?"

Time slowed as he struggled to come up with a response.

A/N: Thank you for the comments! Honestly I almost teared up at the encouragements. You all inspire me so much and I can't thank you enough for the love that you have given this story. I hope this chapter was entertaining, please let me know what you think of it! Have a stellar day! Much love, Guardian.


	11. Artifacts

If I'm going to suffer, then she's going to suffer, Bowser thought as he mapped out the most time-consuming tour of the castle in his head.

"Right this way, _Countess_ ," he gestured towards the room on their right. An hour had already passed and this was only the third stop on the route. "Here lies late Prince Basil's collection of buttons dating between 1406 and 1834. Please, take your time admiring the thousands of antiques- he was a bit of a hoarder."

"Wonderful," Clawdia muttered bitterly as they began to tread slowly through the room. The walls were covered in buttons, and the interior was packed end to end with dusty shelves containing the rest of the collection.

"Wait! Wait! Slow down! You'll miss the artistry!" Bowser called from behind her as he came to a stop in front of a random button. "Wow, would you look at that. I think I need to take a minute just to dissect the cutting edge design of this one right here." He planted himself in front of it, frozen in mock appreciation.

Clawdia sighed with annoyance. Then a glimmer of determination fell across her face. "It looks just like a regular button to me, but then again I don't have a trained eye for these sort of things. Tell me, _your majesty_ , what is so special about this one?"

After a fleeting moment of panic, Bowser answered. "Words cannot explain the beauty of this button. It isn't the look of it, but the essence of the object that makes it marvelous. Only those who are superior to the obnoxious person next to them can sense the true nature of art."

"Huh. Ok. So that's what Mario would see if you two checked out some sculptures together." She said slyly, fully aware of the sting that her words carried.

"What did you say? Sorry, I was too lost in admiration," he feigned as he continued to walk through the collection. After a minute, Clawdia spoke again.

"Why do you even keep this around? Prince Basil died a long time ago." She wondered.

"According to the law, and his will, this "priceless treasure" must remain within the royal family, and any act to remove it is punishable by death." Bowser answered truthfully.

"I'm sure something could be done to overturn his ruling, have you considered-"

"No." He rudely interrupted.

"Let me explain, if you-"

"Don't care." Bowser felt a surge of satisfaction watching Clawdia's face flush red with anger. She opened her mouth, but then hastily closed it, realizing that trying to argue with him was pointless.

"Anyway," he continued, "the next stop is out this door and to the left. It's called the lava room because it is heated by magma recycled from the nearby volcanoes."

"How surprisingly eco-friendly," Clawdia muttered under her breath as they exited the button collection.

The walls of the lava room were clear, allowing its inhabitants to see the hypnotizing melted rock boiling beneath the protective surface. The air was hot and stuffy, and the space was bathed in red light. Leather arm chairs and heavy tables filled the room while a deep gurgle bubbled from the walls, providing soft background noise that was perfect for reading.

"When it comes to people I wanted to hang out with, it appears I've hit rock bottom!" Bowser joked.

"Oh grow up," Clawdia said flatly, exasperated. Suddenly her watery blue eyes flashed with excitement. "Is that a scrapbook?" She asked, reaching for a book resting on one of the tables.

"No!" Bowser exclaimed as he tried to rip it out of her hands. He had completely forgotten that it was in the lava room!

"It is!" She laughed and scurried just out of his reach, opening to the first page.

Underneath a sticker reading "Our Little Star" was Bowser's baby portrait. His shell dwarfed his body, all ten of his fiery red hairs were combed back awkwardly and he was dressed in an orange frilly outfit bawling.

"Give me that!" He lunged for the scrapbook, but she rolled to the side to avoid him and read on.

The next page held another baby photo, with Bowser proudly smiling into the camera with chocolate smeared all over the lower half of his face. His mother's handwriting beside it read: "Somebody's got a sweet tooth!"

"Stop!" He roared, desperately trying to wrestle the book away from Clawdia. He tore it out of her grasp, but as he pulled it away she screamed in pain.

"You scratched me!" Clawdia accused, and pointed to the fresh scrape on the back of her hand.

"You deserved it." Bowser stated brazenly. Her shocked expression jolted his conscience, and he immediately realized that he had misspoken. "Sorry, can I get you a Band-Aid?"

"Yes, please," she answered, eyes fixed on her small wound.

He rushed off to the closest medicine cabinet, the scrapbook under his arm and his heart laying heavily in his chest.

* * *

Minutes later Bowser returned to the lava room holding a miniature bandage. Clawdia barely glanced up at his arrival. He sat beside her in an armchair and watched her gently apply the sticky side of the Band-Aid to her hand.

"I'm sorry I hurt you. I wasn't meaning to." He declared sincerely.

She nodded in acceptance of his apology, still not meeting his eyes. Silence surrounded them, broken only by the background bubbling and churning of the lava.

"The pictures in there are super embarrassing, I didn't want anyone to see them," Bowser explained. "But if it will make you feel better, I guess I can show you some of them."

Clawdia's eyes lit up slightly at his proposition.

"Ok, here we go," he sighed, flipping back to the first page which showed him crying. "This is my baby picture. You can see I've always been a stud," he joked. "I hated that stupid outfit and I probably would have incinerated it if I had been able to breathe fire back then."

Clawdia didn't react much, but he could tell that she was listening.

Bowser turned to the next photo. "And in this one I ate a bunch of chocolate, which has always been my favorite dessert. Although sour gummy worms have their place too," he commentated.

The following page held another baby picture. "Let's just skip ahead, pretty much all of these look the same." He jumped forward to the middle of the scrapbook.

Now a toddler, Bowser beamed from the pages wearing dark green pajamas that had a artistic black "E" on the front and a tiny dark cape streaming over the back of his shell. "Those were my favorite Captain Evil jammies. I had a fit when I learned I couldn't wear them to preschool anymore. Apparently when I had them on I was especially nasty to the other kids. But since they forced me to leave them at home I made sure to be even meaner without them!" He laughed at Clawdia's almost imperceptible frown. "I've always been a villain." He grinned.

He flipped to the next page. Written across the top were the words "First Day of Kindergarten!" and underneath were two pictures of Bowser. In one he smiled slightly while he tightly gripped his backpack, and in the other he glared into the camera, fists clenched, only one strap of his pack slung over his shoulder.

"Those pictures were taken a year apart," he said, eyeing Clawdia's expression of mild surprise. "I was held back a year, but my mom still made me take another back-to-school picture. But I guess repeating kindergarten wasn't so bad. If that didn't happen I never would have met Princess Peach."

Clawdia remained expressionless except for a slow blink that almost appeared to be a wince.

He continued to show her the photos; every Scary Autumn Festival costume, every family reunion, every badly named little league team. She began to soften, even laughing slightly at his goofy faces and poses. He was just about to turn to the photo of his science fair project when the clock on the wall chimed nine times.

"We should probably get back," Clawdia offered, finally saying something.

"Yeah. Too bad we didn't finish the castle tour," Bowser smirked.

"Another day, maybe?" She suggested hopefully.

Bowser nodded and they stepped out of the lava room, leaving the scrapbook resting on the table to the bubbling of the walls.

A/N: As a kid I was always super embarrassed by the scrapbooks that my mom made for me and my siblings, but now I kind of enjoy looking back on those simpler times, the chocolate photo being one of them! As always thank you for the lovely comments, I couldn't ask for better readers! You bring the biggest smiles to my face! I'll try to keep on updating promptly, I'm aiming for two updates every month. I hope you have a marvelous week! Much love, Guardian.


	12. Run

Peach shoved through the crowd as politely as she could while Daisy ran behind her.

"What are you doing?!" Her cousin cried, trying to keep up.

Yet Peach pressed onward, desperate to catch up to her sister. "Excuse me," she mumbled quickly while squeezing around an elderly Yoshi.

"Well I never!" The old woman exclaimed, offended by her impatience.

"Hey, is that Princess Peach?" A faceless voice asked a few feet behind the elderly woman.

Stars no! Peach cringed. She and her cousin had taken great pains so that they could avoid publicity for the night, but it appeared that all their hard work was wasted. Suddenly a throng of voices erupted around them.

"Princess Peach! Princess Peach! Can I have your autograph?"

"Look it's the Princesses!"

"Princess Peach! Over here!"

The crowd slowed, and instead of streaming toward the exit, they churned and clustered around Peach and Daisy. Though she tried to fight against the waves of people, Peach was forced to watch, defeated, as Rosalina picked her way towards the large theater doors far ahead of them. Even with the noise, her sister never looked back.

"What did you think of the ballet, Your Highness?"

"Can I take a picture with you? I've never seen you wear anything but pink!"

"Daisy, tell us about this new hairstyle- is it a wig?"

With the barrage of questions came the disorienting smatter of flashes. Peach's retinas were burned with the familiar bright spots and she struggled to see.

"Would you mind stepping out of my way?" She called out to one of the many bodies in the throng. Her voice shook as she strained to keep her composure.

Not one person budged.

Rosalina was nearly at the door.

Peach considered her options. How would she get through the crowd?

Rosalina left the theater, disappearing from view.

Peach knew that this was her only chance to finally get answers to her questions. She steadied herself, and for a fleeting instant Bowser loomed in her mind. Then she calmly grabbed the arm of the person closest to her and hurled them to the floor. She did it twice more until she found a gap between the layers of people. The last thing Peach heard were shocked gasps as she bolted for the exit.

Finally free, the rain poured down on her while she scanned ahead for her sister. Rosalina was stepping into a taxi cab, her hand still on the door handle.

"Rosalina!" Peach screamed.

Finally her sister turned to notice her. Peach's heart wrenched in her chest at the familiar face. Her sister's achingly blue eyes looked older than Peach remembered. Her hair was shorter, and had matured from the color of cream to the color of corn silk. But the most noticeable difference was the fresh scar that slivered along the underside of her cheek.

Rosalina blinked once and wrinkled her nose almost imperceptibly before continuing to get into the cab.

"Wait! Rosalina!" Peach ran up to the side of the car.

"What?" Her sister asked. Her voice was even and chilling. Her eyes remained downcast.

"What's going on? How could you do this? Aren't you going to explain yourself?!" The questions flew from Peach's mouth before she was interrupted.

"You became everything they wanted you to. Everything I tried to protect you from." Rosalina said cryptically, more to herself than to her sister.

"Hey lady, is your friend here coming too?" The cab driver called from inside.

"No," Rosalina said coldly. She began to close the door from the inside but Peach grabbed the outside handle.

"You can't just leave me like this! I haven't seen you in eight years!" She yelled angrily. "Mom and Dad are still looking for you, you have to come back to us!"

Her sister's eyes widened in confusion. "They never told you?"

"Told me what?" Peach asked, as she reflexively loosened her grip on the door.

But instead of answering her question, Rosalina took advantage of her sister's surprise and yanked the handle. The taxi door slammed shut and the car sped off into the night, the red glow of its tail-lights blurring on the wet pavement. Before she could process what had happened, Peach heard the sound of voices far behind her building over the noise of the busy street. The stunned crowd had left the theater and were rushing towards her. Defenseless, Peach braced herself for the worst. They surged around her, questions flying like bullets from a machine gun.

"Princess Peach, how would you explain your behavior?"

"Why did you tackle those people?!"

"Was that an act of self defense?"

Suddenly her cousin's voice rang out above the crowd. "Honorable Princess Peach will answer no further questions at this time!"

Daisy marched calmly to the front of the crowd and placed herself between Peach and the frenzied horde.

"Please step away from the Princess or security measures will be taken." She said threateningly. But still the people didn't budge. They began to close in, voices screaming, lights shuddering and flashing, filling the air with hard consonants and bursts of searing brightness.

Suddenly, a silver convertible pulled up to the curb behind the princesses with the royal seal of Sarasaland imprinted on the front. Normally Daisy's chauffer opened the doors for them, but Peach desperately clawed at the handle, scrambling into the relative safety of the car. Daisy followed close behind and yelled, "STEP ON IT!" to the driver. Peach watched the crowd shrink behind them as they sped away from the theater. People stormed out into the streets, still taking pictures and calling out to her. Relief slowly spread through her limbs as they disappeared into the distance. But even though the crowd was out of sight, she would have rather dealt with the angry mob than the questions that her sister left her with.

* * *

"Marta, I-I still have feelings for you."

"But Diego, you're getting married in two days!"

"Let's run away together, we can leave behind all of our problems."

"I can't leave, Diego. Besides, my heart belongs to another. I am in love with Juan."

"QUE?!"

Bowser sighed as he clicked over to another channel. There was nothing good on T.V, but he needed some time to relax. The past few days had been especially draining; after he dealt with Clawdia and her family he had finally regained his car keys, giving him the ability to visit Princess Peach. He hadn't seen her since they had gotten kabobs, and he wanted to make sure that his precious time to woo her was well-spent. Thus, he had spent days planning things to do together that would highlight his talents. But with so much giftedness to consider, he had become exhausted from trying to emphasize each of his specialties. So he decided to take a break and watch some mindless entertainment over a bowl of chocolate ice cream.

"We're sorry Blaire, but your tiramisu was too under-baked. Thank you for your participation in this challenge, but you've been sliced. Pack your bags and go."

Bowser frowned and changed the channel. He hated cooking shows. What was the point of watching people make food without being able to eat it?

"With temperatures dropping as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit, how will Tiger Wildes survive the Cool, Cool Mountain nights?"

Ordinarily Bowser would have enjoyed watching Tiger Wildes, but unfortunately he had already seen that episode.

"Live Tonight: The ballet premiere of 'The Forest Sprites' and the disaster that followed."

Although he did not care for theatrical performances of any kind, mayhem always peaked Bowser's interest. Intrigued, he watched on.

"Hello, I'm Sharon DelFino reporting on the incident that occurred after 'The Forest Sprites' opening night. It appears that there was a riot, likely centered around the violence that ensued after the performance. Here I have Daria Nightingale who witnessed the event. Daria?"

"It was terrible." Daria, an elderly Yoshi, began in a shaken voice. "I was leaving my seat when some blonde woman rushed past me. She was in an awful hurry, and nearly knocked me over. Only later did my granddaughter tell me that it was Princess Peach."

Instantly Bowser sat up, enthralled by what was happening on the screen.

"Anyway, I was very offended. I always thought of her as a kind and caring young lady, but people are different in person I guess. But what's worse is that she attacked three people! I saw her pin them to the ground with my own eyes! She would have broken their necks if she didn't realize what she'd done and run off."

"Did you see anything that could have incited her behavior?" Sharon asked.

"Not that I could tell. She just went crazy." Daria answered firmly.

"Here is footage of the event taken just thirty minutes ago," Sharon said as a recording began to play in front of them.

Bowser watched in astonishment at the fuzzy image. It was clearly Princess Peach in the center of the crowd; her blonde hair was unmistakable. It seemed like she was trying to get away from the cluster of people, although no one was moving. But when she pushed the first person down, Bowser's heart stopped in his chest. It seemed to happen in slow motion and heightened detail; her flaxen locks billowing slightly in the wind, while her lips pursed ever so slightly in effort and her eyes narrowed in focus. It was the most attractive thing he had ever seen her do. Sweeping love songs began playing in his head as he watched her push down two more people. Her form was excellent. Her strength admirable. Her speed was remarkable. Peach was even more perfect than he previously thought possible!

His feet hit the floor as he leapt off the couch. Bowser didn't care about his elaborate plans and careful impression. He couldn't wait a moment longer to see Princess Peach. Sprinting down the hall, he grabbed his car keys from his room and ran towards the garage, bursting with determination to make the most unbelievably perfect being in all the universe fall in love with him.

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope you enjoyed the parodies of real tv shows, I've been going to the gym more often these days and have become very familiar with the low quality shows that are on constantly... Anyway, thanks as always for the comments, I'm extremely grateful to have such fantastic reviews! I wish that you have a relaxing week, filled with mindless entertainment and chocolate ice cream! (unless you're lactose intolerant!) Much Love, Guardian


	13. Hidden

Of course he'd said yes.

Mario played the moment over again in his head as he drove along the deserted rainy streets back to his house from the jazz club. Pauline had been so persuasive; her red lips agonizingly close to his, her voice like a siren lulling him into a trance, her lurid blue eyes like ocean waves washing over him. He knew that he would never be able to say no to her. So he agreed to see her when she was in the Mushroom Kingdom for her performances. Although he tried to convince himself that it would remain casual between them, rationally he understood that he was dancing on a knife edge. His stomach clenched as he realized the effort that it would take to hide everything from Princess Peach. Her jealousy and nosiness would prove a lethal combination if she ever pieced together what had happened. I haven't done anything wrong, he soothed himself. Pauline kissed me, not the other way around. But as he inwardly quarreled his anxiety rose.

To Mario's surprise, Luigi wasn't home when he returned. The house was dark and still with the eeriness of abandonment. It was unlike his brother to be out so late. Slightly unsettled, Mario changed into his pajamas and began brushing his teeth. Although he was alone he finished his nighttime routine as quietly as possible and crept into bed. His dreams were fevered and restless.

He awoke to the sound of his brother noisily making espresso from downstairs. Always an early riser, Luigi had never in his life slept in past 9:00am. Groggily Mario pulled himself out of bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He followed the fragrant aroma of coffee beans to their kitchen.

"Good morning," Luigi said politely.

Mario was too tired to respond with more than a muted grunt as he reached for a clean mug from the cabinet.

"I'm going to make eggs, do you want some too?" His brother questioned.

Mario nodded, his eyes half closed.

The conversation slid into contented silence as Luigi began cracking eggs into a sizzling pan while Mario sipped his coffee. It wasn't until his second cup that he felt awake enough to speak.

"So, you were out pretty late last night." He remarked nonchalantly.

"Oh I was just running some errands," his brother replied aloofly.

"No one "runs errands" until 2:00am," Mario commented automatically.

"Why were you up that late?" Luigi countered.

"I was," Mario hesitated momentarily, "reading a book. And lost track of time." His eyes fell down to the eggs on his plate. He had never been a very good liar. "What's your explanation?"

"I was doing some shopping." His brother replied jadedly.

"For who? Did you buy anything?" Mario asked suspiciously.

"Not this time," Luigi said cryptically.

"Just tell me what's going on!" Mario demanded, frustrated by his brother's secrecy.

"I can't. Not yet. I will though, I promise." He vowed.

Although Mario was used to Luigi's discreetness, he had never known his brother to be so stubborn. His brow furrowed in concentration as he pondered what Luigi could be hiding. They told each other nearly everything, so whatever it was it had to be important. Endless possibilities plagued his mind for the rest of the day, until his attention was yanked elsewhere.

* * *

"Daisy and Peach were in a riot!" Luigi yelled as he rushed downstairs to where Mario was ordering pizza delivery.

"Yes, a Deluxe but with onions on one half only, perfect." He said quickly before hanging up the phone. "What happened?" His eyes were wide with concern.

"Apparently there was some kind of fight or something at the ballet and they just barely made it out. It happened only two hours ago, Daisy just told me." Luigi informed him.

"Is Princess Peach alright?" Mario asked.

"They're both fine, physically at least. But Daisy said Peach has a lot of explaining to do."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"She didn't tell me anything else, she said it would be better if we watched the footage for ourselves."

Less than a minute later, they found the video.

Both brothers watched in horror as Princess Peach threw her adoring fans to the ground and shoved past them on her way to the theater exit. How could she do something like this?! Mario thought furiously. She had always handled publicity well...Did she stop caring about her reputation? How could she not consider all the repercussions?!

"I'm going to call her." Mario declared angrily. "She has no idea what she's done. She's finished- she'll never be queen now! They'll exile her, and I will have wasted my life trying to become king by protecting a selfish Princess who doesn't deserve her title!"

"Slow down, let's not jump to conclusions." Luigi soothed.

"I have saved her countless times, risked my life, accompanied her to those stupid balls and events, but does she care? NO! All she has to do is look pretty and get rescued. And she can't even do that right!" He seethed as he marched over to the phone.

Luigi's eyes flashed from his brother to the telephone. Realizing that Mario fully intended to start a brutal argument with his girlfriend, Luigi instantly he ran to intercept it out of his brother's hands.

"Don't try to stop me!" Mario cried as he desperately lunged for the phone.

"Don't do this!" Luigi pleaded as he held the receiver above his head.

Mario jumped up and snatched it from his brother's grasp. While fending Luigi off, he angrily he jabbed Peach's number into the buttons. He waited in silence as he heard the dial-tone. Ring... Ring... Ring..

"Hello! It's Princess Peach. I'm sorry I cannot answer the phone right now, but leave your name and number and I will certainly call you back. Have a pleasant day!"

She had the nerve to ignore his call!

"Hey Peach, it's Mario. Call me back." He said after the beep. The message seemed more like a threat than he intended.

"She didn't pick up?" Luigi asked.

"No." Mario answered shortly.

"Maybe that's for the best," Luigi reassured him. "Let's just cool off- we'll play some videogames, eat some pizza, it will be fun!"

"I guess so." His brother agreed.

Together Mario and Luigi spent the remainder of the evening trying to ignore what had happened with mouthfuls of food and laugher. Although he was mildly upset that his brother was keeping secrets from him, Mario was grateful to have Luigi by his side. His brother was the only person who could who could make life seem a little less complicated. Ever since they were young they were inseparable, and Mario knew that no matter what happened in life, they would always remain that way.

A/N: Mario is always the hardest character for me to write. He's a little less straight forward than Peach and Bowser, and I don't relate to him as much as the other two. Still, I hope that doesn't show in my writing and that you don't mind reading from his perspective! Also any guesses as to what Luigi is hiding? I'm curious to hear what you think! Thank you always for the comments, they inspire me to be diligent and keep up my New Year's resolution. I am so grateful for you and I wish you a phenomenal week! Take care of yourself, you deserve it! Much love, Guardian.


	14. Bond

Bowser flew as fast as he could over the familiar terrain that lead to the Mushroom Kingdom. He was thrilled to have the Clown Car back. It was his favorite out of all his vehicles, and the most apt for visiting Princess Peach. But as he drove, doubts lingered in his mind. When Bowser left the Darklands, he had assumed that Peach would be in her castle, but he realized that he didn't truly know where the princess was. She may not even be in the Mushroom Kingdom! Yet the closer he grew the more certain he became that she would be there waiting for him.

As the orchards slowly changed into suburbs beneath him, Bowser's heart quickened. Although he still had plenty of time to romance Peach, he couldn't afford to waste any of it. He had to impress her. Reactively, he imagined himself lifting heavy objects and breathing plumes of fire all to Peach's adoring applause. He smiled as he watched her cheer for him as he hit Mario over the head. But even better, he pictured her shyly giving him a homemade card with the words "You're my hero!" penned in her perfect handwriting on the inside. Bowser was so lost in daydreaming that he didn't realize that he had reached the Mushroom Kingdom.

Adrenaline rushing through his veins, he flew low towards the right side of the castle. Luckily it was dark enough that no one could see the car approaching. Peach's room was in the furthest tower. He turned the wheel in an arc, guiding the car up to the top most window on the pillar. Gently, he rapped on the glass. No one answered. He knocked again, slightly louder, but Peach didn't appear as she always did. Bowser folded his arms across his chest and sat back on the leather seat of the Clown Car. He opened the glove compartment and pulled out the emergency chocolate that he kept hidden there. Settling back, he began to eat the dark squares one by one, as he prepared to wait as long as it would take for Peach to return home.

After an hour and a half, Peach finally entered her bedroom. As she shut the door Bowser frantically tapped on the window pane. He was thrilled to finally get her attention. Through the blurry glass, he watched each step she took toward him, enraptured. Time seemed to slow as Peach slid the window open, Bowser hanging onto every second until he saw her smiling face-

"GO AWAY!" Peach screamed, her voice nearly breaking.

He was stunned. She had never greeted him like that before. Something was wrong.

"Peach, are you ok?" He asked concernedly.

"Am I ok?! I had the most miserable night of my entire life and before I can even think you show up and try to take me away from the last shred of familiarity I have left in this world!" She cried. Small tears trickled down her cheeks, though she quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand.

Bowser's heart broke for her.

"I don't have to bring you to the Darklands if you don't want me to." He offered. "I can just stay right here and listen."

Peach smiled softly, but it melted away almost instantly. She edged closer to the open window and leaned slightly further towards him. Peach lowered her voice, as if she was telling a secret. "I did something terrible," she confessed. "I was attending a ballet with Daisy and after the curtain closed I needed to get to the exit quickly for," she paused,"personal reasons. But there was a huge crowd in my way, all yelling at me and flashing my eyes with their cameras. I couldn't afford to get stuck there, so I-I-I," Peach broke into tears before she could finish her story.

"Hey, hey, it's alright." Bowser tried to soothe. "It isn't all bad. You looked so cool when you pushed your way through that crowd!"

"How do you know what happened?" She asked suspiciously in between sniffles.

He nervously fiddled with the chocolate wrapper. "I saw it on TV. It was broadcast all over the news." He admitted.

"Fabulous." Peach said it as if it were a curse-word. "So my reputation is ruined not only in the Mushroom Kingdom, but also on every other kingdom in the planet!"

"I wouldn't say it was ruined," Bowser treaded cautiously. "You just gave yourself a punk-rock makeover."

"I'll make sure to mention that in the countless interviews that are undoubtedly scheduled for tomorrow!" Peach's head fell into her hands in defeat. "What am I going to do?" She mused. "I've spent my whole life sacrificing for this kingdom, but all of it falls to the wayside the one time I mess up." She said slowly. "I'll never meet their expectations. I don't deserve to be a princess!"

"You don't have to be perfect for them by doing everything right. You're already perfect by just being yourself." His amber eyes met her crystal blue ones in sincerity.

Peach's face softened at his compliment, her cheeks flushing pink.

A sticky molten feeling swelled in Bowser's chest. "Plus, you don't have to go to those interviews tomorrow, Peachy. Come back to the Darklands with me." He offered, hope rising in his heart.

Her eyes fell down to her hands. "You know I can't do that, Bowser."

At her rejection, a flash of white-hot anger rushed through him. "Because you're too good for my kingdom?" He asked flippantly, his temper taking control of his mouth.

"No." She said pointedly. "I can't keep running from my problems like my sister did. Although I have disappointed my citizens, and myself, I must face the consequences of my actions and be a better princess for them."

Bowser's heart dropped in his chest. Self-criticism swarmed and engulfed his thoughts: it was a stupid idea to let Peach choose to come to the Darklands. She would never willingly go there without an incentive. When it came to deciding between Bowser and both Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom, she would never pick him. He would never be important to her. She would never love him.

"Why can't you make me happy just this once?" He blurted, his voice nearly breaking.

"I can't make everyone happy all of the time," Peach countered softly. Silence followed, pierced only by a faint electronic ringtone from within her room.

Suddenly Bowser was struck with inspiration on how to win Peach over. "What about your own happiness?" He challenged. "Do you want to relive everything that happened over and over again tomorrow? If you leave with me you won't have to."

His comments caught her off guard. After a minute of thought, she responded.

"I can't go to the Darklands this time." Peach said apologetically. "But the next time you visit me I promise I will come with you." She conceded solemnly.

Bowser's heart and spirits soared. "Do you pinkie swear?" He asked with a smirk, his sense of humor returning to him.

Peach extended her dainty finger. "Pinkie swear with a cherry on top," she declared as she bent her little finger around his.

"With sprinkles?" Bowser asked seriously.

"With sprinkles." Peach affirmed, a smile escaping from her lips.

A/N: It was so much fun seeing the comments predicting what would happen next in this story! Thank you so much for your constant love and support, seriously it's a dream come true that people read my writing. At this point I can see the tiniest glimpse of a light at the end of a tunnel for this story, so if lengthy fanfics aren't your thing don't worry too much! I hope you have a marvelous week and that you get some vitamin D in the spring sunshine! Much love, Guardian


	15. Glint

Once Peach shut the window pane after Bowser had gone, regret instantly began to seep through every cell in her body. She walked from the window to her bathroom, where she started removing her makeup. Although agreeing to join Bowser in the Darklands seemed like a rash decision, Peach reassured herself that repairing her reputation was worth the inconvenience. Reminding the media that she was a victim was the only way that they would forgive her for what she had done at the ballet. With Bowser's lack of patience, Peach knew it wouldn't be long before the tabloids once again published a news story promising all the latest details on the poor innocent princess's rescue from her evil kidnapper. She smiled slightly as she rubbed moisturizer into her skin: soon the bad press would be the least of her concerns.

Peach was most preoccupied with what Rosalina had said during their brief encounter. She suspected that Toadsworth, who was ruling the Mushroom Kingdom in place of the King and Queen, might prove useful in decoding her sister's words. Unfortunately Toadsworth was away on a consultation with a foreign dignitary and would not return for another week. So in the meantime Peach would have to do some detective work...if she could find the time around all of her upcoming interviews.

As she put on her pink silk pajamas, overwhelming anxiety bubbled in her stomach for the week ahead. For a second Peach longed to cast her problems aside and run away, but she knew that putting things off would only make the situation worse. Exhausted, she flopped on her bed and checked the time on her phone. It was only 9:00pm, but she felt far more tired than the hour merited. A new message icon appeared at the top of the screen, but Peach flicked it away. She had enough to deal with for one night. Almost as soon as she closed her eyes she drifted off in slumber. Her sleep was deep and dreamless.

* * *

It had been six days and Peach still hadn't returned Mario's phone call. He knew she was busy, Peach had appeared on nearly every news station for interviews, but somehow she couldn't spare even five minutes to talk to him. Even though they had drifted apart considerably over the years, they rarely went more than a week without speaking to one another. Mario could tell that there was more to explain Peach's violent outburst than merely an iron deficiency, as the media claimed. But what could rile her up so much that she resorted to physical aggression?

Mario glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 11:30pm but Luigi still wasn't home yet. It seemed that nearly every night his brother returned home at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning with no explanation for his late arrival. Mario sighed wearily and took another sip of his chai tea. It wasn't his favorite beverage, but somehow it always seemed to make even the bleakest of situations appear manageable. The exotic fragrance from the leaves drifted into his nose and he closed his eyes. For an instant he felt the settling comfort of peace descend on his shoulders. But as quickly as a snowflake landing on a wet stone, it melted away.

Once he had finished his tea, Mario headed upstairs to his room to begin preparing himself for bed. He pulled a faded t shirt over his head and started brushing his teeth. While he swished the mouthwash around in his mouth, he heard a faint noise downstairs. Mario quickly glanced at the clock, surprised that Luigi was arriving home much earlier than usual. Intrigued, he spit out the foamy blue solution 16 seconds too early and rushed towards the front door to greet his brother.

"I wasn't expecting to see you so soon," Mario commented amiably.

Luigi looked up from taking his shoes off. A silk drawstring pouch in royal blue lay by his feet. An elaborate emblem was stamped on the front of it in golden ink.

"It's good to see you too," his brother answered warily.

"So, what's with the bag?" Mario asked.

"Just a little shopping," Luigi said steadily, unfazed by the question.

"Most stores aren't open this late," Mario challenged, testing his brother.

"I'm friends with the owner. He keeps his shop open just for me since I have to drive so far to get to it." Luigi explained calmly.

"Will you just tell me what's going on?!" Mario demanded, frustrated by his brother's numerous alibies.

"Now I can tell you." Luigi smiled, reaching his hand into the silk bag.

His closed fist emerged holding a small velvet box.

"I didn't want to tell you until I got the perfect one." Luigi explained, as he gently opened it like a clamshell.

Inside, resting on a plush velvet cushion in the same shade of royal blue, lay a glimmering diamond ring.

Mario's heart plummeted at the sight of it.

"What do you think? I designed it myself for Daisy, with the help of the owner. I couldn't decide between a silver or rose gold band, so I went with silver since it matches most of her earrings. Together we found the best quality 1.5 carat stone. It was mined in Wario's gold mine. I didn't know it produced more than just gold! Anyway, for the cut I had no idea what she would like, so I chose the classic oval- not too flashy, but more exciting than a simple round cut," Luigi kept rambling, oblivious to his brother's discomfort.

Mario's head was spinning and he couldn't seem to focus on what Luigi was saying. His thoughts were consumed with predictions of Peach's disappointment knowing that her younger cousin would be married before she would. And if Luigi proposed to Daisy, Mario would be expected to propose to his girlfriend. He swallowed back the dry knot in his throat as he pictured himself at Luigi's wedding, tiredly listening to another relative who asked when Mario's wedding was going to be. Although he wanted to be king, he never intended to take the throne at his current age! Visions of the future flooded his head, swirling around and pummeling him, battering him like waves.

"Mario! Mario, are you ok?" Luigi asked, worry creasing between his eyebrows.

Mario blinked back into reality. "Yeah I'm fine."

"You looked really upset there for a minute." His brother explained.

"No, I'm ok, only tired. But I'm happy for you." Mario smiled, his mouth forced slightly too wide.

Luigi nodded, accepting his brother's feeble explanation. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "I'll let you get some rest."

"We can talk more in the morning," Mario said automatically, his thoughts elsewhere.

Slowly he trekked up the stairs and into his bedroom. Yawning, he pulled the soft sheets around himself and closed his eyes. He could detect the faint mint flavored mouthwash on his tongue, but somehow it tasted more bitter than it had only an hour earlier.

A/N: So that's what Luigi was hiding! Those were good guesses thought, I did consider that Luigi and Pauline may be having a secret relationship, but ultimately I thought that it wasn't in Luigi's character to be disloyal to Daisy. Also I have no experience whatsoever in diamond shopping (I wish I did!) so please forgive me if some of the descriptions of Daisy's wedding ring seem off. Thank you so much for the comments on my last chapter, I am extremely grateful for all the input and encouragement for this story! I hope you have an excellent week! Much love, Guardian.


	16. Shatter

Bowser was in shock. Sharp, prickly sensations raced up and down the surface of his skin and his throat had long dried of all moisture. From far away he felt his mother wrap her arms around him, her tears running from her cheeks to his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed.

Automatically he rubbed his hand across the back of her shell.

He knew that he should be sad but inside he felt hollow and numb. Though he longed to cry tears refused to spill over his eyelashes.

"He loved you so much," his mother continued. "We're both so proud of you."

Her sweet words dissipated into the hidden corners of his memory almost instantly. Bowser's full attention was on the overwhelming pang in his chest. New heaviness settled on his shoulders, and he thought about the marked difference between who he had been merely five hours ago and who he was now. Everything happened so quickly. His brain scrambled to put the pieces in order, starting with the phone call...

* * *

Inside the Clown Car, Bowser's spirits were high as he merrily soared through the starry skies illuminated by a sliver of the moon. He couldn't believe that with her own free will Peach actually agreed to come with him to the Darklands! Maybe he was finally ridding himself of his reputation as a kidnapper! But before Bowser could get too wrapped up in his romantic daydreams, a call came through his dashboard monitor.

"Good evening!" Bowser greeted the caller happily.

"Bowser, it's Mom." His mother's voice sounded grave. "Wherever you are you need to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. Something's wrong with your dad. I can't say more right now, I'll fill you in when you get here. Bye." She hung up.

Bowser's face fell, dread filling his stomach from the unexpected call. The doctors predicted that his father had at least another four months left to live. Likely whatever was happening was unrelated to the king's spinal condition and thus easily fixed. But Bowser had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind which ate away his fleeting reassurance. For the rest of the trip to the Darklands medical facility, Bowser hoped that everything would be resolved and that his father would be ok.

Inside the hospital, Bowser navigated through the familiar maze of hallways and corridors to where the king's room was. His mother greeted him outside the door.

"I'm so glad you're here." She hugged him. "The doctors are in there with him right now. They don't know what's wrong exactly. He was having bad back pain before we went to bed, but he took his usual medications and drifted off to sleep. An hour later he woke up screaming in pain and unable to move. I called an ambulance and they brought him here as fast as they could. He still hasn't moved from the waist down, the doctors don't know whether it's his pain or early-onset paralysis that's freezing his muscles."

"Can I see him?" Bowser asked.

"No visitors are permitted right now, but hopefully in the next hour we'll be able to go in." She informed him.

"Is he-," Bowser's voice warbled. "Is he going to make it?"

"Yes, of course he will." His mothers eyes looked far away. "Of course he'll make it." She repeated. "Once they cure his pain, he'll be fine."

"Good." Bowser sat down in one of the chairs resting outside of the hospital room.

"So, where were you?" His mother pried, changing topics.

"I was visiting Princess Peach," Bowser admitted sheepishly.

She rolled her eyes in response. "I should have guessed." She teased.

"She's my best friend." Bowser said earnestly. "And besides, things are going really well. It looks like we'll become more than that soon enough."

Bowser saw heartbreak in her matching amber eyes when he looked up into them.

"I'm glad you think so." She gave him a tight, sad smile.

Before he could ask his mother what she meant, one of the doctors stepped outside of his father's hospital room and turned to talk to them. Immediately both royal Koopas stood up.

"Your majesties, we have located the source of the pain and have given the king all of the necessary medications and spells to treat it." She explained.

"Do you know what caused the pain, Dr. Vespira?" Bowser's mother asked.

"One of the muscles was badly knotted due to your husband's degenerative spinal condition. Extreme pain from this muscle group caused his temporary paralysis. Although surgery is an option, it is far less risky for us to wait for the knot to mend itself. In the meantime we will treat the symptoms and try to provide his Highness with as much comfort as possible."

"Can he come home today?" Bowser inquired.

"We would prefer to keep him here for a couple days, just in case the knot gets worse and surgical intervention becomes necessary." Dr. Vespira reasoned.

"Can we see him now?" Bowser asked excitedly.

"He's under a lot of powerful medications and spells, which unfortunately include drowsiness as a side effect. The king is asleep at the moment, but when he wakes up you will be permitted to visit him." She explained.

"Thank you so much doctor." His mother smiled.

"I am honored to aid your family in whatever way I can." Dr. Vespira dipped her head respectfully before heading into another patient's room.

After she left, Bowser and his mother sat outside of the king's room and leafed through the provided reading material on a small table beside them. Bowser picked up an old issue of 'Starlette' which featured an exclusive interview with Princess Peach. But to his dismay, all of the questions that Peach answered had to do with Mario's acts of "heroism" and "bravery." Fresh anger bloomed in his chest, so he tried to distract himself by skimming through a different magazine. Yet he still couldn't get the image of his nemesis's ugly face out of his head.

Three hours later, Bowser's attention was pulled from an article titled 'Newest Lawnmowers that Kick Grass!' to the nurses rushing through his father's door.

"What's going on?" He asked, setting down his magazine and pointing out the increased activity to his mother beside him.

Her eyes widened with worry.

"Is everything alright?" She confronted one of the doctors running into the room.

But they gave no response before they disappeared behind the door. Suddenly it seemed that a horde of medical personnel descended upon the king, all busily bringing equipment and shouting medical jargon at each other.

Dr. Vespira appeared, though she dashed inside with no explanation as to what was happening to Bowser's father.

An unfamiliar nurse approached them, and brusquely told the royal Koopas to sit in the waiting room down the hall so that they wouldn't be underfoot. Then she hastily joined the others inside the room before they could ask her any questions.

"Stars please let him get through this. Please let the doctors save him!" The queen prayed kneeling on the waiting area's floor.

Bowser's throat felt dry. He squatted down next to his mother and held onto her arm in comfort.

Tense minutes flew by, the queen's voice piercing the ringing silence of the sterile walls.

"Don't let him die! Don't let him die!" She commanded, tears lolling at her cheeks. "Stars please let him live!"

Shivers raced along Bowser's skin as the gravity of the situation hit him in the chest.

Suddenly the sound of soft footsteps interrupted his mother's sobs. She quickly silenced her pleas and wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

"Your majesties," Dr. Vespira started, kneeling on the floor next to them. "I'm afraid I am the bearer of bad news." She grasped both of their hands. "Unfortunately, the king has passed away."

Bowser's mother doubled over in shock, shaking with silent wails.

"Originally, we deduced that the king's paralysis was due to pain, though in hindsight it appears to have been connected to his spinal condition. Inevitably, the paralysis worsened and spread, affecting everything from the shoulders down. His heart stopped beating, and though we tried three times to resuscitate him, each attempt was unsuccessful. I am so sorry." She said sincerely. "But if it's any comfort, he went peacefully and painlessly in his sleep. He's among the Stars now." She gave their hands a warm squeeze. "Let me know if there is anything I can do for you in this time of grief. Our thoughts and prayers go to your family."

"Th-thank you for trying so hard and-and doing all you could to save him." The queen gasped through sobs while she gave Dr. Vespira a final hug.

Bowser's thoughts raced and he felt his body grow heavy with waves of exhaustion. The reality of the situation struck him, but although sadness and shock overflowed every inch of him, his eyes remained stubbornly dry.

"I'm so sorry," his mother said as she hugged him. His shoulder grew wet from the trickle of her tears. "He loved you so much. We're both so proud of you."

Bowser hugged his mother close against his chest and fought to breathe against the jarring pain of losing his father.

A/N: Sorry this is such a downer! But on a happier note, this chapter marks my one-year anniversary to writing fanfiction! Although it's not a huge accomplishment, it is one that I am extremely proud of. I was so scared to share the stories that had been swimming in my head for years because I was sure that people would judge me or find out what I had done, as if it was a shameful thing. But at some point I hit my threshold for worrying and thought, "Screw it. If other people can be brave enough to do it, so can I." That is exactly the sentiment I wish to share with you if you are afraid to publish your works. Please do not let fear hold you back. This experience has been immensely rewarding, I have learned so much about writing and have interacted with so many talented individuals who I have been beyond blessed to hear from in both comments and personal messages. I am thrilled that I conquered one of my fears and would do it all again in a heartbeat. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of this story and Into the Fire, you have been the highlight of so many of my days. I wish only the best for all of you, and hope fervently that life treats you well always. Here's to the first year of many! Much love, Guardian.


	17. Sharp

Peach closed her eyes and felt the soft tickle of an eyeshadow brush gliding across her upper lid. Meanwhile her scalp ached from all the vigorous brushing and curling and pinning that her blonde hair had endured. A misting of perfume was gently sprayed over her, drenching the room in the sweet scent of fresh rain and spring blossoms. Peach felt her mouth become sticky under a layer of lip gloss. Finally, after several more minutes of brushing, powdering, spraying and pinning, she was allowed to open her eyes. She gazed at her hair and makeup artists' handiwork and marveled at the face she saw in the mirror. She looked confident, regal, and strong, though inside she felt like a fraud. For days she had been lying about the cause of her actions at the ballet, telling interviewer after interviewer that severe iron deficiency had led to her behavior. And now she was about to do it again for the last time.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have a very special guest with me this evening," Peach heard while waiting for her entrance off stage. "Please welcome... Princess Peach!"

She plastered on a smile and strutted out onto the stage, waving at both the live studio audience and the video cameras that surrounded her. Elegantly, she took a seat beside her interviewer.

"Thank you so much for being here, your Highness." The middle-aged woman across from her beamed.

"Please, call me Peach," she replied warmly.

"Peach, how has everything been since, you know, _the incident_?"

"I've been very busy," she laughed, "but I am grateful for the platform to raise awareness about anemia, a condition that affects hundreds of thousands." She recited.

"How have your fans reacted?"

"They have been incredibly supportive and understanding through this process. I can't thank them enough for all they've done." Peach gave a grateful smile to the audience and then another to Camera 2.

"What about the victims? Have any of them tried to press charges?"

"I have personally contacted all those affected by my physical actions and have taken steps towards their forgiveness." Peach declined to share that each of the three people had been paid a settlement of 50,000 coins.

"And what about Mario? How has he held up?"

Peach was caught off guard by the unique question. "Um, well, he's-he's been concerned about me, of course, but even through this difficult season our relationship is stronger than ever." She flashed a hollow smile but didn't meet the interviewer's eyes. Truthfully she hadn't seen Mario since they went dress shopping together, and she hadn't returned any of his calls. Although she missed him, she wasn't ready to tell him the truth of what had really happened at the ballet.

"Do you think the kidnapping will lessen with your condition?"

Once again she faced a question that she had not anticipated. "I don't expect so. It seems that Bowser is a very determined individual." She laughed nervously.

"Is he truly as monstrous as we all believe?"

Peach felt aggravation start to build in her stomach at the interviewer's mean-spirited question. "No one is truly evil," she tried to take an unbiased middle ground. "Everyone has bad sides and good sides, and it seems that Bowser's bad side is the only side that the media cares to expose."

"Are you saying that Bowser's criminal acts are justified?"

It was starting to feel like an interrogation. "No, they are certainly not." She said crossly.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you may actually have some sympathy towards your captor."

Peach's nerves were nearly shot. "As a princess, I strive to see what is fair and admirable in everyone that I meet. That includes Bowser." She fixed the interviewer with a frosty stare.

"Is there anything fair and admirable in such a wicked and cruel person?"

Although Peach's reputation was hanging by a thread, she couldn't betray her friend. "I believe so. And you would as well, if you spent as much time with him as I have." She paused before continuing with a sly grin, "I'm sure I could arrange a meeting between the two of you if you felt so inclined."

The interviewer's face went white with fear at the thought.

"Is there anything else you would like to say to your fans across the kingdom?" The woman asked shakily, finally switching topics.

Peach was relieved to be faced with a common question. She looked out across audience and with all the innocence and regret she could muster, began to speak. "I am so sorry that I have let you down. But I am working diligently to right my past wrongs and rule with kindness, grace, and humility. I will not let disappoint you again." She vowed, glancing at the cameras before returning her gaze to the crowd. Her stomach dropped slightly at the gravity of what she had promised.

"Well, that's all we have time for folks. Thank you so much for joining me Peach." The interviewer said, wrapping up their brief interaction.

"Thank you for having me on the show." Peach smiled politely, waving at the audience until the cameras turned off and she was allowed to leave.

* * *

"This is the best part!" Daisy laughed while munching popcorn in front of the television.

To celebrate the end of the interviews, Peach had invited Daisy over for a slumber party. They were marathoning Peach's favorite movie: Sharkclone. It was a cheesy thriller-comedy about a cyclone that contained man-eating sharks.

Peach giggled alongside her cousin at the over-the-top explosions and poor special effects.

"Would you rather get caught in a sharkclone, or do another televised appearance?" Daisy asked Peach in jest.

"Sharkclone for sure." Peach answered. "Especially after the one today." She cringed slightly at the memory.

Daisy nodded knowingly. She had watched Peach's interview when it aired live on the television.

"Did Mario see it?" Daisy asked.

"I'm not sure. I haven't spoken to him at all through this whole thing," Peach confessed. "I know I have to tell him the truth about what happened, but I don't know where to start."

"Honey, you've got to be open with each other," Daisy advised, "that's the key to a healthy and stable relationship. I'm sure he's worried about you, and not talking to him is only making things worse- for both of you."

The distant screams of several sharkclone victims filled the silence that followed.

"You're right." Peach finally said. "I'll talk to him in the next few days."

"Here," Daisy held out her cousin's cellphone. "Call him up right now and make plans. You've waited long enough."

Peach paused the movie and held her breath as she dialed her boyfriend's number. He answered after the first ring.

"Peach! Thank the Stars. What's going on? Why didn't you call me sooner?"

Suddenly it became clear why Peach wanted to put off talking to Mario.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking." She said coldly. Immediately she regretted it, but their conversation had already taken a turn for the worst.

"What really happened at the ballet? Was this all an accident? Does Bowser have anything to do with this?" He was ravenous.

"It would take me too long to tell you over the phone. Are you free to get dinner some time? I'll tell you the whole story then," she offered.

"Sure, I'm free to pick you up tomorrow night at 5:00pm. But isn't there anything you can tell me now?" He asked desperately.

Peach's temper flared slightly just as it had with all the other interviewers. "Yes there is one thing I can tell you," Peach smirked slightly. "And that is..." She paused. "Good night Mario." She hung up the phone.

Daisy immediately burst into laugher. Peach laughed too, relieved that her interviews were now truly over.

A/N: Although chapter 16 was necessary, I'd much rather be writing light-hearted stuff like this chapter! Thank you for the wonderful comments though. They always encourage me and inspire me to keep writing. And as always thank you to everyone who reads this story. You mean so much to me and have become such an important part of my life. I hope you have a terrific week, and watch out for sharkclones! Much love, Guardian.


	18. Petals

Mario was furious after his phone call with Peach. How could she toy with him like that, knowing that he was dying for an explanation for her shortsighted actions? In that moment he hated her. She was vain, selfish, ignorant and spoiled. He should have broken up with her when he was in the hospital! Yet Mario knew that his visions of ending his relationship were mere daydreams instead of concrete plans. Despite his unhappiness, he still needed to stay with Peach in order to uphold his reputation as a hero and finally bring prestige to his family name. At least he had Pauline's company to look forward to. She swam in his thoughts from the moment he left the jazz club, always floating in the back of his mind. He couldn't wait until they could spend some time alone just the two of them, especially since he was too mad to feel as guilty about breaking Peach's trust.

The next day Mario stood patiently in the Grand Foyer awaiting Princess Peach's entrance. But she was late, probably putting the finishing touches on her look. He was bitter that she made him wait, since he had already waited so long to finally hear the truth about what happened. He gritted his teeth as he anticipated her arrival. Eventually Peach appeared, dazzling and sparkling in her shimmery pink dress and metallic heels. A long time ago he would have been thrilled to see her all dressed up. But now his heart dropped at the sight of her.

"Mario!" Peach squealed. Elegantly she rushed down the stairs and leapt into his arms. "I've missed you so much!" She planted a sticky kiss on his cheek.

"I've missed you too." He managed to say. Her seemingly manic energy left him feeling tired and drained.

"So, where are we going tonight?" She giggled. Her voice was just a little too high and a little too loud.

"I was thinking that we could go to that Italian restaurant we both like." Mario told her.

"Yes! That's sounds perfect. I haven't been to Strappare in ages!" Peach exclaimed shrilly.

"Great, let's get going then." Mario offered, desperately trying to hurry the evening along.

In the car, Peach finally told him about Rosalina's appearance at the ballet. He was shocked to learn that Peach's sister was even alive, much less attending theatrical events! He agreed with Peach that the best thing to do was to wait for Toadsworth to return so that he could send a message to the King and Queen, informing them of their daughter's reappearance. Although his girlfriend had certainly been through a lot, he was almost disappointed that this was the true explanation behind her actions. It didn't seem necessary for her to push those people out of the way to accomplish her goal. Couldn't Peach have simply ordered one of her subjects to stop Rosalina? But he pushed those thoughts aside and instead focused on the present.

"So what have you been up to?" Peach asked, turning the conversation to him.

"Nothing much." Mario lied as his thoughts flashed to Pauline. He was grateful that he needed to keep his eyes on the road and away from Peach's prying gaze. "Mostly helping Luigi with-" he almost forgot he swore to tell no one of the engagement! "Helping Luigi with, uh, plumbing stuff." He explained vaguely.

"That's interesting," Peach commented, in a tone that indicated it clearly wasn't interesting to her.

"Yeah, mainly back siphonage and flush valves. You know how that is." He said heartily, hoping that he was boring her enough to change topics.

"Did you know that Daisy only has sixty pairs of shoes?" She asked. Success.

"Only sixty?" Mario played along, though privately he thought that sixty was a bit excessive.

"I know! I couldn't believe it when she told me. I wish I could be so frugal." Peach sighed wistfully.

They arrived at the restaurant and were quickly seated in the secluded back corner. Mario pretended to look over the menu although he already knew what he was going to order. He got the same thing every time.

"I'm so glad to get out tonight," Peach remarked. "All of those interviews were so horrible, I'm relieved to finally have them over with."

"Which one was the worst?" He asked conversationally.

"That last one by far! Believe it or not she started asking me about Bowser." Peach revealed.

"What did you say?" Mario's gut wrenched hearing his foe's name.

He felt a twinge of anger at seeing her cheeks redden slightly. "I don't know, I can't really remember. I was under so much pressure..." Peach trailed off.

Mario made a mental note to track down the footage and watch the interview for himself.

"He hasn't harassed you any more since the fire, right?" Mario asked. His rival had been strangely quiet lately, which only meant that Bowser was up to something.

"No." Peach answered.

Mario knew her well enough to know she was lying.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" He probed. What did she have to hide?

"I know." Peach still didn't meet his gaze.

"I'll always listen to you." Mario gently cupped her chin so that he could see her crystalline blue eyes. "I care about you Peach."

And he did. He always would. But not like he used to.

Peach blushed and her eyes grew full and doe-like. "I care about you too." She paused, indecisive for a moment, before she continued. "Actually now that I think of it, Bowser has tried to contact me once or twice. And he's been sending me roses everyday. But he hasn't done anything threatening. That's why I couldn't remember!" She said breezily.

Mario was perplexed. It wasn't like Bowser to be so subtle. Perhaps Peach wasn't telling him the whole story.

But before he could reply, the server arrived to take their orders. Peach requested one of the specials, and Mario ordered his favorite: Spaghetti.

"Anyway, I don't want you to dwell on it," she continued after they were left alone. "I'm just happy that we're finally spending more time together."

"If you wanted to spend time together you could have called me sooner," Mario accidentally muttered under his breath.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you." Peach challenged, fixing him with a glare which illustrated that she heard enough to be offended.

Ordinarily Mario would politely shrug her off or meekly apologize. But hearing her talk about Bowser made him irritable. Every nerve in him screamed to fight.

"I said that if you wanted to spend time together you could have called me sooner." Mario repeated.

Peach's eyes hardened. "If you were more empathetic to how overwhelming my life has been then _maybe_ I would have." Though she spoke in a near-whisper her tone was brittle and abrasive.

He could feel the years of pent up insults struggling to break free and fly from his lips. Anger rushed through him as he remembered how their phone call ended.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised at this point since you take everything in your life for granted." He appreciated the look of shock that fell over her face.

"How can I take you for granted if you don't even do the things a boyfriend is supposed to do? You barely hold my hand or hug me, let alone kiss me!" Peach needled him. A few people started to stare.

But before he could respond with "it's not my fault you're a bad kisser!" a huge cheer went up from the other end of the restaurant. A crowd had gathered and were clapping and shouting in congratulation.

"What's going on?" Peach turned around to look at the commotion. But the throng of people blocked her view.

Suddenly two people emerged from the crowd, both deliriously happy. One was tall and blushing and the other was short and tearing up as she admired the way her diamond ring glinted in the light.

I can't believe he picked his restaurant, Mario thought to himself.

"Daisy!" Peach's hand flew over her open mouth.

The Princess of Sarasaland rushed to her cousin's side and embraced her. Mascara streaked along Daisy's cheeks though her eyes shone with joy.

"I can't believe it Peach." She grinned. "I'm going to be a bride!"

Mario's heart plummeted as he watched Peach force her lips into a smile.

A/N: The drama keeps on building! It's an interesting challenge for me as a writer to pit characters against one another. I want to be mindful of each character's flaws, but also respond to conflict in a manner that is true to their character. It's easy for me to think how I would react in this situation, but both more difficult and more fun to consider how each character would react if that makes sense. Anyway I hope you like this chapter, and please let me know what you think! Thank you to everyone who comments, I am extremely lucky to have such caring readers. I hope you have a phenomenal week! Much love, Guardian.


	19. Gold

Bowser stood alone wearing an ill-fitting black suit and messily knotted tie in an echoless room filled with empty chairs. He had been there for nearly an hour, nervously rehearsing his two speeches over and over again. The first was for his father's funeral. The second was for his coronation. Per Koopa tradition, both were scheduled on the same day to honor the previous king and celebrate the new one. Although it had only been five days since his father's death, those days had passed by faster than a blink. Bowser's stomach felt taught and scrambled with anxiety. Normally he loved being the center of attention, but now he worried about the responsibility he had to his citizens. He needed to prove to them that he was capable of running a kingdom. And given his previous reputation, that would be a difficult task to manage.

"Good morning, and thank you for being here." Bowser began again. "My father was a kind, strong, and dedicated man. His legacy will not soon be forgotten and he certainly will be dearly missed. He was much loved by his family, friends, and kingdom. I will always remember-"

He was interrupted by the sound of the back doors opening behind him. He spun around and saw Clawdia standing in the doorway.

"What do you want?" He asked in a snarky tone.

"I came looking for you actually," she walked over to him. "I figured that you might be here."

"Way to follow your hunch, detective." He replied sarcastically.

She huffed slightly in annoyance before giving him a pitying smile. "I know that this is a really hard day for you. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Go away." He was too wound up to talk to anyone.

Clawdia ignored him and sat down in one of the chairs.

"I'll be your audience for you to practice your speech. Go on," she encouraged.

Although he wanted to be alone, he didn't press the issue. Knowing that it was the only way to keep Clawdia quiet, Bowser picked up where he left off. "I will always remember his hard work and sacrifice, and I hope to follow in his footsteps. He was a wise king, patient father, and good man. Except for when he cheated on his wife and degraded his son." Bowser blurted out accidentally, louder than he realized.

Clawdia's mouth fell open with shock. "Do you take constructive criticism?" She asked, alarmed.

"Of course I won't say that in the real thing. I wasn't thinking and it just slipped out." His heart was racing at the repercussions of his error and his skin felt jittery.

"Maybe you should get everything out now so that you won't say anything you regret during the real speech." She suggested politely.

"I don't want to talk about it." He replied. The past was in the past, and dwelling on it only made the hollow feeling in his chest worse.

Clawdia stood up and gently reached forward to hold Bowser's hand. He stepped back instinctively and yanked his fingers away as if he had touched a hot stove.

She frowned slightly, though she didn't come closer to him. "I'm so sorry that everything is happening so quickly for you right now. But you don't have to do it alone." Her eyes shone when she spoke. "I'll be right there beside you."

"Is that supposed to be a comfort?" He snorted rudely.

Anger flashed across her face, but she still didn't break her pleasant demeanor. "Social connection is vital during a period of grief. When you push people away you are only depriving yourself of what you need most." She explained evenly.

Stars what a pesky know-it-all. "What I need most is for you to go away," Bowser warned through clenched teeth, his temper barely under control.

"Thus, you've just proved my previous point." She grinned smugly. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Why? Because you're nosy and can't mind your own business?" He sputtered.

"No." She said emphatically. "Because I want the best for you and won't stand idle while you isolate yourself from the people who want to help you."

"If you want to help me, then leave me alone!" He roared. He could feel the fire igniting in his stomach.

Clawdia didn't speak, but gazed at him with pity in her eyes.

Bowser glared back in fury.

They stood at a standstill, neither daring to speak or look away. They remained motionless for several tense moments.

"And I thought I was here early!" Bowser's mother greeted them unexpectedly, interrupting their bickering. "Would you two mind helping me with these flower arrangements?"

"Of course, your Highness." Clawdia replied immediately.

Together they spent the next half hour silently putting the floral bouquets in vases until the rest of the guests arrived.

* * *

Bowser was beyond nervous. His first speech for his father's funeral had gone well, which only meant that all the mistakes were saved for his second address. His thoughts were frantically zooming around in his head and his heart felt like it was about to explode. In only a few moments his mother would finish her statement and announce his entrance. He would join her at the podium and begin his speech. After he finished they would place the crown over his head and he would recite an oath. Finally, he would leave and the hellish nightmare would come to a close.

"I trust that he will lead with the same ferocity and strength as his father before him. I could not ask for a better son. Our hopes and prayers will guide Bowser Koopa always."

His mother was met with polite applause. Bowser's heart plunged as he stepped onto the stage and saw the sprawling audience that cheered expectantly for him. Although he tried to speak his throat was splintery and dry. His brain scrambled to remember the start of his speech, but all he could recall was the beginning of the previous one. The applause was waning and he knew he didn't have much time left. Desperately he looked out across the crowd, hoping that he could stall by making eye contact with them while frantically trying to jog his memory. His eyes fell on Clawdia seated in the front row. She had that same pitying expression on her face that Bowser hated. He felt a spark of rage that still lingered from their argument earlier- instantly he remembered his speech!

"Good morning, and thank you for being here." He began stiffly. "My father was a kind, strong, and dedicated man. His legacy will not soon be forgotten and he certainly will be dearly missed. He was much loved by his family, friends, and kingdom. I will always remember his hard work and sacrifice, and I hope to follow in his footsteps." Bowser's posture softened slightly. "He was a wise king, patient father, and good man."

All of a sudden his mind drew a blank. But unlike before, he didn't have time to mull over the forgotten words. Once again Bowser's eyes were drawn to Clawdia. Although it wasn't what he had originally written, when he looked at her he knew what he wanted to say.

"Look, I know I haven't been the greatest prince. In the past I didn't pay much attention to you and thus far haven't done a whole lot for you." He apologized honestly. His eyes never left hers. "And I'm sorry about that. But you stood by me, even when it was easier to just give up on me. I can't tell you how much your support means to me." Finally he looked up at the audience seated before him. But his words were still for her.

"Now that I'm king, everything is going to change. You have been so good to me and I can't ignore that any further. You have earned my respect and I hope that one day I can earn yours. Thank you." He finished.

The audience clapped, hesitantly at first but then building into a thunder storm. Clawdia nodded at him and rose to her feet along with the rest of the crowd. His mother beamed from across the stage.

Bowser felt an unanticipated heaviness descend on his scalp as the crown was set atop his head. The metal was cold and unfamiliar, and sent chills up his spine. He knew that in time he could adjust to the new weight, but no matter how hard he tried he could not ignore its chilling presence.

* * *

"That was a unique speech." Bowser's mother commented while they were in the limousine on their way back to the palace.

"Thank you." Bowser replied absentmindedly, too overwhelmed and exhausted to respond with more than a few words.

"Although it seemed that it was intended for a smaller audience." She continued knowingly.

"Yeah." He muttered automatically.

"You don't have to marry Clawdia, you know." His mother told him.

"Uh huh." Bowser's brain took a moment to realize what she said. "Wait, what?"

"You don't have to marry Clawdia. I know you two had a deal, but with your father's unexpected death, it wouldn't be fair." She explained.

"Really?" His heart beat ran a little faster.

"According to your agreement, technically you still have two months before the deadline." She cringed at the pun, but continued seriously. "Yet no matter who you choose, a decision must be made."

"Of course." He agreed. He wouldn't dare break his promise.

"Personally, I think waiting is only going to prolong the inevitable, but the offer stands. Are you going to wed Clawdia, or try your luck with Princess Peach?"

The heaviness of the crown and the heaviness of his heart weighted equally upon him as he prepared to answer her question.

A/N: Since this chapter is so long I'll try to keep my final comments short and sweet. Thank you for reading, following, favoriting, and especially commenting on this story! Seriously I can't thank you enough. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope that you have an amazing week! Much love, Guardian.


	20. Tea Time

Finally alone in the privacy of her room, Princess Peach crumbled onto the floor and hugged herself, rocking back and forth. The tears that she had been fighting poured down her cheeks as she screamed silently so that no one would hear her. "It's not fair!" She mouthed, her throat strained and dry. Mario had known her nearly his whole life, and they had dated longer than Daisy and Luigi had, and yet Daisy was the one who had been proposed to! Peach could remember every detail from the evening perfectly, in the pristine clarity that only comes from jealousy. Daisy's skin had glowed, in the way that no facial could ever replicate, and her hair and nails looked extra shiny, complemented by the glimmering diamond that rested on her ring finger. Everyone wanted pictures of her, and even in the candid photographs Daisy looked gorgeous. Although deep in her core Peach was happy for her cousin, her good wishes were suppressed by the nagging thought that she should be getting married instead of Daisy.

In the past when Peach got into one of her extreme crying fits, Rosalina had been the only one to calm her down. But now Peach wept alone, unable to stop her sobs. Although her relationship with Mario had turned sour a while ago, she couldn't bear the thought of being without him. Without him, she feared that no one would rescue her anymore because she wasn't worth saving. A horrifying thought struck her suddenly, so powerful that she had to say it out loud.

"Maybe Mario doesn't rescue me because he loves me. Maybe Mario only rescues me because he pities me!" Peach choked out, crying with renewed fervor.

A few minutes later Peach's bawling was interrupted by a quiet knock on the door.

"Your Highness, Honorable Toadsworth has returned from his conference. He's awaiting your presence in the Lavender Tea Room," a servant informed her from the other side of the entryway.

"Thank you, I'll be there right away." Peach replied, trying to keep her voice steady. Hurriedly she removed the smeared makeup from her face and raked a comb through her hair before dashing downstairs. Although Toadsworth could probably deduce that she had been crying earlier, Peach still wanted to make an effort to look presentable and put together, although inside she was deteriorating.

* * *

"Princess Peach," Toadsworth greeted her. The merriment in his eyes was replaced with sympathy when Peach came closer into view. "I was going to tell you the news I received during my consultation but it appears that you've already heard it."

"It's good to see you Toadsworth," she hugged him. "As you can tell I'm still a bit emotional."

"That's perfectly understandable, my dear. I was shocked when I heard the news. I never imagined that this would happen within my lifetime." He remarked after taking a sip of tea.

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Peach asked rhetorically. Her loyalty to her cousin was unaffected by her jealousy.

"And I suppose you wanted it to come sooner rather than later?" Toadsworth's eyes flashed with accusation.

"It was bound to happen sometime, wasn't it?" Her eyebrows bowed in confusion.

"Have you no respect for the dead?!" Toadsworth cried, horrified.

"Pardon me, but what are you talking about?" Peach inquired. Her crystalline blue eyes were wide with bewilderment.

"The passing of the prior King of the Darklands," he explained. "What did you think I was talking about?"

"Daisy's engagement." She answered automatically, though her thoughts were racing and here eyes focused else where.

"I'm so sorry," Toadsworth apologized, realizing that this was the first that Peach had heard of the King's death. "I don't pretend to understand your friendship with Bowser, but I know that you two are close and that this is difficult news to hear."

"I had no idea that his father passed away. He never told me." Her voice warbled slightly when she spoke.

"Don't take it personally, my dear. It's only been four days since it happened and Bowser is undoubtedly busy preparing for his coronation tomorrow."

"His coronation?"

"Yes, Bowser is next in line for the throne. By tomorrow evening he will be the rightful king of the Darklands." Toadsworth answered patiently.

Her heart dropped at the prospect of Bowser gaining control over a whole empire. She feared that he was still serious about conquering the world.

"But it seems that there was some excitement while I was away..." Toadsworth hinted, begging for more information about her cousin's engagement.

Peach was too unsettled to humor him with lots of details. "Luigi proposed to Daisy at a restaurant that Mario and I were dining at."

"How wonderful! You will be her maid of honor I presume?"

"Yes." Peach replied, but her head was still spinning with predictions of Bowser's reign of terror.

"Splendid! But you'll be busy, busy, busy! First you'll have to help Daisy determine a guest list, hire a wedding coordinator, pick a venue, choose a color theme, not to mention find a dress! I'll have to rearrange your schedule a bit- I may need to cancel your appearance in the Spring Couture Runway and move up your annual visit to Yoshi's Island to give you time to prepare for the wedding. I'll see what I can do." Toadsworth blathered on, though Peach wasn't listening.

Dread swirled around her, overwhelming her mind. She tried to swallow a gulp of tea to calm her nerves, but to her dismay it had gone cold. Peach's thoughts raced, and though she tried to be optimistic, she couldn't help but imagine the destruction that was awaiting her kingdom. As king, she knew that Bowser would stop at nothing until he got what he wanted- whether it be conquering the world, killing Mario, or taking Peach away from the Mushroom Kingdom forever. Although her boyfriend had always been successful at besting Bowser in the past, those fights had only been over her. Was Mario strong enough to stop Bowser from ravaging the universe?

"Are you feeling alright, my dear? You've gone pale." Toadsworth's voice pulled Peach from her thoughts.

"I'm just worried." She admitted.

"I completely understand. Being a maid of honor is a huge responsibility, but your friends will help you through it. Everyone cares so much about you, Peach." Toadsworth gave her hand a squeeze. "I'll be with you every step of the way."

"But that's not what I'm concerned about," Peach corrected him. "What will happen to the Mushroom Kingdom when Bowser controls the Darklands?"

"My dear," Toadsworth soothed, "don't fret. Leave diplomatic relationships to me. Have I ever let you down after all these years?"

"But what if diplomacy isn't enough? What if he," Peach's voice almost broke, "what if he declares war against us? What if he destroys the Mushroom Kingdom?"

"Let me worry about the state of our nation. All you need to concern yourself with is being the best maid of honor you can be." Toadsworth smiled.

His comment stung. Peach thought that Toadsworth saw her as more than the frilly celebrity that she was often reduced to. "A princess should be focused on her kingdom. In fact, I should be more cognizant of our country than you are, since you're not even royalty!"

"And I don't pretend to be, my dear. This position is only temporary, when your parents return I will go back to my place as their head advisor." Toadsworth said calmly, knowing that arguing wouldn't help him.

"Speaking of my parents," Peach seized her opportunity, "why haven't they come home yet? I happened to see Rosalina briefly for the first time in years, and she told me that you've been keeping something from me. What's really going on with my family?"

"You spoke with Rosalina?" Toadsworth asked, carefully keeping the surprise from his face.

"Tell me the truth!" She pressed on. "Where are my parents?"

Toadsworth gave a long, heavy sigh. "They're currently being held in an intergalactic penitentiary."

"What?!" Peach was stunned. "Under what charges?"

"Child abduction."

Peach's blood froze in her veins.

A/N: I can't believe that this thing is 20 chapters long. I couldn't have done it without the support of my readers, I know I thank you every time, but I hope you know how appreciated and important you are to me! I never imagined that this story would be so well received, thank you always for your kind comments and dedication to reading my writing. I'm sorry to leave you on such a dramatic cliff hanger, but soon you will have all the answers that you've been waiting for. The end is definitely in sight, this story shouldn't exceed 30 chapters (fingers crossed!) I hope you have a superb week! Much love, Guardian


	21. Clockwork

"How are we ever going to narrow down this guest list?" Mario's brother moaned as he held up a thick list of names written on a pad of paper. "If everyone invited attends then there may be more than 600 people at this event!"

"Didn't King Fret pass away a few years ago?" Daisy asked Peach. "That's one less person."

"Sadly no," Peach grabbed her cousin's wrist to keep her from crossing the name out. "And his dementia is worse than ever, so we'll have to invite a few caregivers to help him through the ceremony."

"Can I see the list?" Mario inquired. Luigi passed it to him. His eyes scanned through the names for an instant before he exclaimed, "we don't even know some of these people! Who is Captain Syrup?"

Luigi looked over to Daisy for explanation.

"You guys remember Syrup! She's a greedy pirate but deep down she's secretly a really sweet and loveable girl?" Daisy glanced around for support. "I mean, I haven't seen her in years, but it would be rude to not invite her, right?"

Luigi said nothing and silently crossed out her name from the list.

"Do you really want Stanley to be there?" Mario asked, examining the names again. "Especially since it's going to be an _outdoor_ wedding," he hinted but received blank stares. "He'll spend the whole ceremony trying to exterminate the insects with pesticide!"

"He didn't get the nickname Stanley the Bug Sprayer for nothing," Peach remarked.

Daisy quickly reached over and removed him from the guest list. Luigi winced.

Peach took the pad from Mario and began to read it. After several moments she continued, "I thought Princess Shokora was in rehab..."

"She never enlisted herself in a program even after the intervention," Daisy explained sadly.

"So she still has a drinking problem?" Peach asked.

"She does," Luigi cut in, "but that doesn't mean we shouldn't invite her. We'll just inform all the servers to limit her intake."

Mario took the list back from Peach. Suddenly his face paled.

"Why is Pauline invited?" His voice was artificially calm.

"She's going to be the wedding singer." Luigi informed him. "Have you ever heard her perform? Who knew she had such a voice..."

"I've heard better." Peach commented snidely.

"Even if she wasn't performing, I'd want her to be there. She's practically family," Luigi told Peach.

Mario held his tongue but inside he was pleading that Pauline wouldn't be able to come. Although Peach was already a jealous mess because of her cousin's wedding, he knew that she would only get worse when she saw Pauline. A knot of anxiety burned in his stomach. The wedding was only two months away and already it was headed toward disaster.

* * *

"I don't know the full story," Toadsworth explained vaguely as he nonchalantly took a sip from his tea.

"Who did they abduct?" Peach raised her voice, her patience spent and her nerves shot.

"Rosalina is not their biological daughter." He answered.

"And I am?" She challenged.

"Before you were born," Toadsworth began, "the King and Queen tried for many years to provide an heir to the throne, but they were never successful. Many courtiers, including myself, had given up hope that the Mushroom Kingdom would see any princes or princesses. But one day the Queen brought home a baby, unannounced. Although she never explained its origins, everyone had always assumed that it was the result of a surrogate. It wasn't until Rosalina was in her teenage years that she began to investigate her origin. What she found led to the King and Queen's arrest, trial, and imprisonment."

"Did they steal Rosalina away from her real parents?" Peach's voice was taught with horror.

"I do not know, my dear. My knowledge extends only to the legal codes and sentencing."

"How long will they remain in," she paused, searching for the right word, "confinement?"

"Twenty six more years." He told her solemnly.

"And who is to govern the kingdom in their absence?"

"As I told you, this position is only temporary. However, I am only relieved of my duty when the next-in-line to the throne takes the position from me. And although Rosalina isn't technically of royal blood, she is the only one, beside myself, who can rule while the King and Queen are gone." Toadsworth explained.

"Why did no one tell me?" She asked. "Why did you let me believe a lie?!"

"No one was to know except for myself and the parties involved. Now that you are aware of the situation, it is your secret to keep as well."

Peach fell silent, overwhelmed with the weight of the new information that she received. She felt an upwelling in her chest, although no tears sprung to her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, my dear." Toadsworth got up and hugged the princess. "I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you."

"Can I see them?" She asked suddenly.

"It will be very challenging to arrange," he warned. "Regulations must be consulted and requests made, not to mention fitting it in with your busy schedule... But if you desperately want to reconnect with the King and Queen I will establish a visitation. Are you sure you truly desire to see them?"

"Yes."

* * *

Bowser stuck his tongue out before eating another bite of chocolate cake. To his mother's chagrin, this was the fifth day that he'd eaten dessert for breakfast.

"Seriously Bowser, you should eat two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables each day. And cake isn't a proper breakfast! Why don't you eat a grapefruit instead?" The queen suggested.

"Because that sounds disgusting and nobody can tell the king what to do!" He chuckled as he spitefully gulped down more of the confection.

"Joke all you want, but you won't be laughing when you see your cholesterol count," she cautioned wryly before switching topics. "Have fun with your meetings, I'm going to spend the day with the wedding coordinator."

No matter whether he married Clawdia or Princess Peach, Bowser's wedding was set to take place in two month's time. His mother had been frenzied with preparation, and although he wasn't a fan of planning sophisticated social events, he would gladly trade his boring deliberations for a day spent deciding between color schemes and fancy napkins.

"Thanks." He said sarcastically as the queen left the dining room.

Bowser glanced at the antique grandfather clock that sat in the corner of the room. He still had an hour before he met with his advisors. Hurriedly, he finished the rest of his breakfast and raced up the spiral staircase to his room.

Ever since his coronation he had been devising the perfect day with Princess Peach. To his surprise, she had promised to come with him to the Darklands the next time that he asked, and he was determined to make the visit worth her while. In his imagination she would have such a good time that she would never want to leave his kingdom and agree to stay with him forever. It was a lofty goal, but he had always been a dreamer. Time flew by as he worked.

Three hours later, Bowser entered the throne room to see his council seated around his chair, muttering angrily to one another.

"You are very late!" The representative from the mining district bravely announced.

Bowser flashed him a toothy grin as he took his seat. "A king is never late," he recited, "everyone else is simply early."

A collective cringe fell across all of their faces.

A/N: Lots of references and Easter eggs in this chapter, props to you if you already got them all and if you didn't then have fun going on a little internet scavenger hunt! Thanks to everyone who has favorited, followed, or commented on this story. I hope my gratitude comes across with every chapter, seriously I am over the moon with the attention that my writing has received. I hope that you all have a marvelous week and that all of your dreams come true! Much love, Guardian.


	22. Dividers

Princess Peach flew alone through space in her metal capsule for two days. The Intergalactic Penitentiary lay just outside of the Deep Dark Galaxy, tucked behind swirling nebulas and comet showers. She never grew bored in her vessel since the mesmerizing stars never failed to hold her attention. As she rocketed through the galaxies, Peach's mind was clear for the first time in months. The farther she traveled from the Mushroom Kingdom, the more at peace she felt. In an empty and endless place devoid of oxygen, she finally felt like she could breathe.

Her craft landed outside of the holding facility. Immediately two beings dressed in armored suits appeared to meet Peach and escort her inside. They remained eerily silent as they led her through the heavily enforced doors that contained the galaxy's most notorious criminals. The walls were made of a gritty grey metal which contributed to the chilling atmosphere. Down the corridor was a front desk encased in thick bullet proof glass. One of the armored guards pointed to the singular chair that rested outside of the glass. Peach obediently took a seat and watched as the guards unlocked a hidden door and exited through the side panel in the wall. Unsure of what to do next, she waited alone, hoping that someone would give her further instructions.

Ten minutes later a man wearing a simple uniform entered into the front desk area. Peach stood up and walked over to the glass. He did not look up at her. She coughed slightly, but still he did not acknowledge her presence. Finally, she tapped lightly on the glass. The man's eyes flicked up to hers, and she could see that he was annoyed.

"Can I help you?" He asked irritably, his voice muffled by the barrier.

"Yes. My name is Princess Peach and I'm here to see the King and Queen of the Mushroom Kingdom." She answered with faked confidence.

"We'll see if you're in the system," he said gruffly. "Hmmmm," his eyes scanned across a screen on his desk, "there is a visitation request submitted, but it was denied by the penitentiary occupants."

"What does that mean?" Her heart beat faster with nerves.

"It means," the man began rudely, "that the people you want to see don't want to see you."

"But I have completed all of the necessary paper work, I even subjected myself to an optional interview and background check!" Peach was frantic. "There must be something you can do!"

"You are not authorized to visit anyone at this time." The man repeated bluntly. "If you do not leave the premises within the next ten minutes security will escort you back to your craft."

"Excuse me, but I am a Princess, and I will not be turned away from my own parents!" She hated using her nobility as a persuasive tactic, but there was nothing else Peach could do.

"If you do not remain calm, extreme security measures will be taken," he warned menacingly.

"That won't be necessary." A voice said from behind her. "Vincent, I can take it from here." Peach turned to see Rosalina standing behind her. Her sister calmly stepped up to the glass and took an ID badge out from the pocket of her crisp blue suit jacket.

"Of course, Director," the man bowed his head respectfully and tapped a few buttons next to his screen. "My apologies."

Peach's mouth was agape in shock. Even though she had seen Rosalina briefly at the ballet, her eyes still took in her sister's appearance as if for the first time. She noticed the scar along the underside of her cheek, the drained harshness in her blue eyes, and the slight darkening of her hair with age. Rosalina did not look at Peach as she slid her badge along a slot in the wall and placed her hand atop a small hidden scanner.

"Follow me." She ordered, staring down the corridor ahead. Her voice was low and hollow.

Although she was confused, Peach cautiously complied to her sister's command. They walked together down the long hallway.

"So, do you work here?" Peach asked, awkwardly trying to start conversation.

Rosalina said nothing, but punched a series of numbers into the keypad that was embedded in the metal door. The panels slid open to reveal a cramped collection of cells.

"Stay close." Rosalina advised as they made their way through the prison.

Peach shuddered as she looked at the faces behind the heavy bars. Some looked back at her with contempt, and others grinned wickedly at her and licked their lips. She was tempted to turn back, but after being lied to for so long she was determined to learn the truth.

Rosalina led Peach away from the prisoners and into a side room that served for visitations. A single pane of bullet-proof glass that extended from the floor to the ceiling bisected the chamber. Through the glass, she watched four armored guards march her parents into their side of the room. The guards remained with them, even when the King and Queen were released from their grasp.

Tears erupted from Peach's eyes. Nothing could have prepared her to see her parents like this.

"We didn't concede with this visitation request," her mother loudly told the guards. "She shouldn't be here!"

"She deserves to know the truth," Rosalina said commandingly at Peach's side.

"The truth is that I expected so much more from you, Rosalina." The Queen ignored Peach, narrowing her eyes in fury at Rosalina. "We gave you a life that others only dream of, and this is how you repay us."

"No one dreams of a life filled with the anxiety of failing to meet impossible expectations. No one dreams of constantly masquerading as the persona of frivolous glamour and marketable sophistication, only created to distract the citizens from the true miseries and failures of the kingdom! My common blood did not deserve that life, and even more so her royal blood did not deserve that life!" Rosalina's voice had raised to a shout.

"For Peach it was never a masquerade." The Queen said softly. "You were always too smart for your own good, Ro. And Peach was always too dull. Between the two of you I could have finally had a perfect daughter."

Peach was stunned into silence by her mother's words. Her brain struggled to process reality, and she could scarcely believe that what was happening was real.

"She didn't come all this way to be insulted," Rosalina defended. "Tell her what you've done."

"It does not concern her." The King stepped in. "Even with all of our rights stripped from us, you cannot make us disclose this information." He turned to Peach. "I'm sorry." Although it was a short apology, Peach could see the deep emotion behind his words.

Rosalina nodded grimly and made a hand signal to the guards. They firmly grasped her parents and pulled them out of the visitation room, taking them back to their cells.

"If you will not tell her," Rosalina called out as they were being dragged away, "then I will."

The last image of her parents was the disgust on her mother's face before they were out of sight.

"I don't have much time," her sister explained, "but I will do the best that I can. For many years before I was born, the King and Queen tried to provide an heir to the throne. But all of their attempts were marked with miscarriage, defects and deformities. Eventually, they lost hope that the Mushroom Kingdom would see any princes or princesses. Yet one day when they were surveying poor rural villages, they saw a baby left unattended. The Queen believed that the Stars had granted her wishes for a perfect child; the baby was strong and beautiful, and even displayed similar features to them. So she snatched it up, and for her own protection, she secretly ordered the biological parents' execution. She raised me as her own. Yet five years later, to everyone's surprise, the Queen bore a child. Although you didn't have any physical ailments, the Queen was convinced that the baby was faulty just as the others had been. I can't speak for her, but I want to believe that she loved you. Still, it was a cautious kind of love."

Peach's brain could barely handle the vast quantity of such emotionally taxing information.

"Would you like me to stop?" Rosalina asked, seeing her sister's wide eyes.

"No." Peach answered assuredly.

"Alright. Anyway, as we grew up the internal state of the kingdom worsened, due in part to its tense relationship with the powerful neighboring Darklands. The people were on the cusp of a revolution, when the King rationalized that if the citizens were deeply attached to the royal family, then the people wouldn't overthrow them. Nearly overnight, the Queen turned me into a cultural idol, scheduling press interviews and televised appearances. They wanted me to be superficial and bubbly, nothing more than a pretty face to sell product. I hated it, and grew very depressed, which negatively affected my contrived persona. The Queen scheduled a doctor's appointment for me, hoping that prescription drugs would 'fix' me. During this appointment my blood was analyzed, and it became clear that I was not the King and Queen's biological child. A day later, the doctor who delivered this news was found dead, supposedly of a heart attack."

"Did they kill him?" Peach asked, already suspecting the answer.

Rosalina nodded. "Clearly, you aren't dull," she smiled slightly. Peach was too overwhelmed to smile back.

"After that, I feared for my life," Rosalina continued. "I was sure that they would kill me next since I knew their secret. I fled in the night, and headed towards the Cosmos. For a while I was safe from their searching, but eventually they found me. However, I had prepared for this. In the Cosmos, I became part of the Comet Observatory, an elite force of officers sworn to protect the law of the galaxy. The second the King and Queen set foot there, I put them under arrest. They were tried and found guilty on charges of kidnapping, but unfortunately they were not convicted for murder. They were sentenced to fifty years in the Intergalactic Penitentiary, where I serve as Director, though that number has been cut down for good behavior. And the rest you know." She finished.

Peach didn't know what to say.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business I need to take care of." Rosalina said cryptically. "I wish I didn't have to leave you like this." Her eyes softened as she gazed on her sister, and for a moment Peach recognized them as they had been when she was young.

As quickly as Rosalina came into Peach's life, she left it again, silently receding back into the world that she had created for herself. Peach felt too shaken to move, and instead stared straight ahead enviously at the unbreakable pane of glass which lay un-shattered before her.

A/N: Yay! Everything has finally been revealed! Since this chapter is so long, I will keep my author's note brief. Thank you to the new followers and favorites, I am thrilled that you are on board with the story. Thank you to those who comment, especially those who comment on every chapter! I always look forward to seeing what you have to say. And even if you haven't done any of these things, ultimately, thank you for reading this story. I hope you have a relaxing and restful week! Much love, Guardian


	23. Match

Bowser was concerned. His wedding was six weeks away and, despite his many efforts, he still had not connected with Peach. He had sent her numerous gifts, yet none of them received a response. And each time he visited the Mushroom Kingdom, she wasn't home. Her media-presence was remarkably sparse as well. Bowser feared that something was wrong. It was very unlike Peach to disappear unexpectedly, and his mind raced to come up with explanations for her absence. Could she be on vacation? Was she sick? Was she dying?! The intensity of the imagined scenarios grew more extreme, until Bowser worked himself into a fervor. He remained on-edge for the rest of the day.

"Are you alright?" Clawdia asked as they ate lunch together. "You've hardly touched your food."

"Just have a lot on my mind." Bowser answered brusquely.

"I know! Our wedding is only six weeks away." Clawdia smiled. Of course she assumed that she would be the bride. It irritated Bowser that Clawdia, like nearly everyone else, dismissed the possibility that he could marry Princess Peach.

"It's not _my_ wedding that I'm worried about," Bowser corrected. "Besides, six weeks is a long time. Plenty of time, in fact. Really, it's not very soon at all."

She only smiled pityingly back at him. "The future is a mystery. Who knows what it will hold?" She offered cryptically, trying to placate him.

Bowser didn't bother to respond. He continued to stare at his plate and push the grilled vegetables around with his fork.

"Are you stressed because of work?" Clawdia inquired. "Because sometimes further research is the best aid for making decisions," she added under the guise of helpfulness. Once again, Clawdia was subtly encouraging him to learn more about the Darklands before he chose a course of action for them as their king. She didn't hide the fact that she thought that he was ill-prepared for his new role.

Bowser sighed deeply and tried to call upon the last of his patience. "I know you are trying to be useful. But you can't help me. No one can." He said firmly.

"There's no need to be dramatic, I'm sure someone can help you," Clawdia argued.

Suddenly, a name came to Bowser's mind. An informant he pursued only in the most desperate of times. But he'd have to bring a proper bribe...

"Actually, you're right." He admitted, much to Clawdia's surprise. Without even a goodbye he quickly left the table and hurried down the long hallway to the front entrance, car keys in hand.

* * *

After buying a six-pack of cream soda from the store, he flew as fast as he could to Sarasaland. It was closer to the Darklands than the Mushroom Kingdom, although the trip was far less scenic. As he traveled, he hoped that Daisy would be home. It would be much harder to find her if she wasn't in the palace. Soon elaborate domed rooves and unique sweeping architecture greeted him. Although it had been a long time since he had visited the foreign nation, not much had changed. He navigated himself towards the palace, heart hammering in his chest.

He flew to Daisy's bedroom window and called to her. The glass panes were open but the curtains were shut. Luckily, only a few moments later the brunette princess pulled the cloth aside and nearly screamed at the sight of him.

"Bowser Koopa! I thought you'd learned your lesson from the last time you tried to kidnap me!" Daisy called through the window.

A long time ago, Bowser had taken Daisy from Sarasaland to the Darklands, expecting that Peach would arrive to bring her cousin back home. But he thoroughly underestimated Daisy's ruthlessness to those who wronged her. By the third hour of her stay, Bowser took Daisy back to Sarasaland himself just to get away from her. Thankfully, she wasn't one to carry a grudge.

"I'm only stopping by for information. Do you know where Peach is?" He asked sincerely.

"Do you have the goods?" She said nonchalantly.

Bowser held up the cream soda and Daisy's eyes sparkled. The ingredients for the drink were only found in the Darklands, making it almost impossible to purchase anywhere else.

"Perfect." She grabbed the six-pack through the window. "And as far as Peach goes, it's a really, really long story... Unfortunately, I have something scheduled in fifteen minutes..." Her eyes narrowed as she mulled over a new idea. "But why don't you come with me? I could use the company." Daisy smiled.

"Where are you going?" Bowser questioned.

"Shopping," she smirked.

* * *

He flew as Daisy directed while she began the story, starting with Princess Peach's encounter with Rosalina at the infamous ballet. He listened with rapt attention. He empathized with the emotional trauma that Peach went through in such a short amount of time. Only halfway through the story, Daisy instructed him to park in front of a bridal boutique.

"This is the place!" She grinned at his surprise and held out her left hand to reveal the diamond ring that adorned her finer.

"I can't do this Daisy! Don't you have bridesmaids for this sort of thing?"

"They each have such different styles that they would only disagree with me and each other." She explained. "Clearly, you have no sense of fashion whatsoever, so you're the perfect sidekick. Plus I know you'll hate it and it's payback for the last time you tried to take me away."

"Isn't it bad luck?" Bowser scrambled to find a way out.

"Only for the groom. So unless you shrink a few feet, start wearing all green, and grow a mustache, I think you're safe," Daisy leapt out of the car.

Bowser was torn. He was compelled to hear the rest of Daisy's story, yet he also felt uneasy helping her choose a wedding dress. But his desire for information won out, and he followed her into the shop.

They were quickly ushered by one of the assistants into a private room with a separate changing area. After a few minutes of conversation, the assistant left to look for dresses that would match Daisy's description. As they waited for her return, Daisy filled Bowser in on her recent proposal and wedding plans.

"I believe these may work," the assistant stated as she handed the princess an armful of white dresses encased in protective plastic sleeves. "If you need anything, just ring the bell next to the door. I'd be happy to help." She smiled and left them alone.

Daisy grabbed the stack of dresses and headed into the curtained changing room. "Just wait out here. I'll walk out wearing one, and all you have to do is tell me I look fabulous in all of them," she joked as she disappeared from view. While she changed, she continued where she left off in the story.

After a while she sauntered out of the room dressed in one of the white floor-length gowns. She spun in a circle, nearly tripping on the long train.

"What do you think?" She inquired.

"You look fabulous," Bowser replied as instructed.

Daisy laughed. "I don't think this one is for me. It's a little too elegant for my taste."

She returned to the changing room to put on the next dress.

"Anyway, so Peach went out into the Cosmos to visit her parents. She sent me a message saying that she is really shaken up and needs to spend some time by herself. So, she is taking a leave of absence from the Mushroom Kingdom for the next six weeks. Because of this, she stepped down from being my maid of honor, though she still intends to go to my wedding." Daisy relayed. "At first I was really upset, but there's really nothing I can do about it. Peach deserves to make her own choices after what she's been through."

"I had no idea that she was dealing with so much," Bowser replied.

Daisy stepped back into view wearing another dress. This one was only floor-length.

"Still fabulous." Bowser praised.

"It's better... But it's a little plain. It needs something sparkly, don't you think?"

"Whatever you say," he remarked.

"Correct answer." Daisy spun around and left for the changing room.

It was quiet for several moments.

"Look, I have to be honest." Daisy began suddenly. "I know you have a crush on Peach, but each fleeting moment you spend together always ends with Mario winning both the fight and the girl. Has it ever crossed your mind to move on and look for someone else?"

"For me it's worth it." Bowser defended. "I would do anything for her. Even purposely losing each fight so that she goes home to the kingdom that she loves. Even if that means she's away from me."

Daisy returned from the changing room. Her dress was gorgeous; it was the perfect length, classic but not outdated, and the bodice was stitched with tiny crystals that glimmered in the light.

"That's it." Bowser said.

"A perfect match." Daisy agreed.

She suddenly looked at him, her blue eyes serious and urgent.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but never give up on Peach. She is very lucky to have someone in her life that loves her so much. Keep showing her that you care for her, and maybe she'll come around."

"Really?" Bowser asked, new hope ignited in his chest.

"It would be best if you stopped kidnapping her, obviously. But if you two truly are destined to be together, somehow it will work out. And even if it doesn't, I hope one day that you will find your perfect match." Daisy smiled earnestly.

Bowser nodded back at her. As they left the boutique, dress in hand, he was glad that he decided to spend time with Peach's fabulous cousin.

A/N: I originally didn't plan to have Daisy and Bowser go wedding-dress shopping together, but the idea seemed far more interesting and fresh than my previous plan, so I rolled with it. I had no idea that writing their scene would be so easy! I think they have a unique dynamic, with Daisy's "cool-aunt" vibe and Bowser's vulnerability around her. It also provides an interesting juxtaposition between Bowser's interaction with Clawdia vs. his interaction with Daisy. I'm really curious to hear what you think of this chapter and any thoughts that you have as we bring this thing to a close. Hopefully no more than two or three chapters left! Thank you thank you thank you for the wonderful comments. I hope you have a fabulous week! Much love, Guardian.


	24. Collision

Mario reached up to adjust Luigi's bow tie right before his wedding ceremony. Faint organ music drifted through the hallway, signaling that is was almost time for their entrance. Although both brothers were slightly tired from the bachelor party the night before, excitement and espresso kept them awake.

"I'm so happy for you," Mario spoke warmly.

Luigi smiled back, his eyes brimming with emotion.

"Good luck out there. Don't mess up!" Mario joked. He knew his brother had practiced his vows over and over.

Luigi playfully smacked him on the shoulder before he walked through the doors into the congregation. Mario hurried to his place near the end of the procession. He followed the line of people into the heart of the building where friends and family were waiting. He saw his parents near the front, his mom already crying, and he spied Peach seated in one of the middle pews. According to Daisy, she stepped down from her role as maid of honor and instead attended the ceremony as a guest. Mario stood by Luigi and the other groomsmen as the rest of the procession walked in. Finally, the organ started to play the wedding march.

Everyone stood as Daisy strolled through the doors. She was stunning: her brown hair had been curled in relaxed waves, which complemented the style of her dress. It was effortlessly beautiful; not too flashy or simple, but charming with a crisp white silk skirt and shimmering bodice. This was the first time that anyone had seen her in the gown, since Daisy insisted on shopping for it by herself, and an audible breath was heard from the crowd.

She seemed to float down the aisle, walking in step with her father, the King of Sarasaland. At the front of the room they exchanged the customary hug and cheek-kiss before he took his seat next to his wife in the front row.

For the remainder of the ceremony, Mario watched Peach's expressions as her cousin said her "I do"s. Peach had never been one to conceal her moods, and they swung between happiness, jealousy, resentment and disappointment. Although he had hoped that the wedding would bring them together, it seemed that it drove them further apart. Their relationship had become overworked and stale. Worse, Peach's unforeseen departure into solitude exacerbated the distance that had formed between them. He dreaded the reception that was to come since he would have to persevere through an evening of Peach's rapidly fluctuating emotions, which could only be appeased through constant attention and reassurance.

"To close, Princess Daisy and Honorable Luigi have each written personalized vows for each other that will be read aloud," the orator announced.

Daisy cleared her throat and began to speak.

"When rolling clouds cover the sun, I will be your light,

When the world seems cruel and heartless, I'll stay by you through the night.

When summer days burn away, I will keep you from the cold

And when we walk side by side, it's your hand that I'll hold.

With this ring I give my word, you have my truest vow,

that I will cherish you forever, just as I do now."

Luigi smiled shyly and began his vows. Although his sentiment wasn't as catchy as Daisy's, he spoke from the heart.

"Daisy," he started, "I have always admired your confidence and courageous spirit. There is no one else who I'd rather have beside me for the rest of my life. You inspire me to take risks, live boldly, and enjoy adventures. I can't wait to see how this one is going to turn out. At least we'll find out together." He finished.

In unison, they both slid their rings on each other's fingers. A cheer went up from the crowd as they briefly kissed and strutted triumphantly down the aisle, arm in arm. Mario followed the wedding procession trailing behind them. To his surprise he was flushed with an array of emotion, the strongest feeling being regret. The happiness that Luigi found with Daisy would forever evade Mario if he continued to stay with Peach. He was cornered: the end of his misery would be the start of Peach's, but his own discontentment would never end if their relationship continued. For the first time, Mario was prepared to make a selfish decision.

* * *

Bowser was desperate. He should have left for his rehearsal dinner an hour ago, but instead he was flying over the sandy deserts that surrounded Sarasaland. His heart was racing and his mind was frantic. This was his only option left, and though he hated what he was about to do, he didn't have a choice since his wedding was only two days away. Sleep had evaded him for many nights which charged his thoughts with frenzied energy.

He soon found the private gardens where the reception was. Bowser parked his car in the lot and walked to the front entrance. The wedding guests were already inside, but two security officers were stationed guarding the entrance. They tensed when the saw him approaching.

"Name?" One grunted. Although by Sarasaland standards the guards were adequate, both were a head shorter than Bowser and considerably smaller.

"Let me in." Bowser didn't want to waste time.

"If you're not on the guest list then you're not granted admission to the event. Get lost or I'll-" the second started, before Bowser grabbed both their heads and banged them together. They fell forward in unison, unconscious.

He proceeded through the ivy gate into the lush greenery. Bowser could hear distant music playing. He followed the sounds, but kept low and hidden behind the foliage. As he crept through the garden the music grew louder and louder. A circle of weeping willows shielded the party from the rest of the garden, but when he poked his head through the trailing branches he could see the dance floor, dining area, and stage where a DJ was mixing music. The sunset turned the dancing figures into silhouettes which made it difficult for him to identify the guests. Far across the clearing, the fading light illuminated the golden hair of a young woman with her back to him. She stormed away from the celebration in anger, and disappeared through the willow barrier.

The woman could be no other than Princess Peach. Bowser backed away from his vantage point and dashed through the unoccupied garden, hoping to intercept her path. Luckily, he quickly saw her, sitting by herself in a gazebo overlooking a fountaining pond. He ran to her.

"Peach!" Bowser called. Her eyes opened in amazement.

"What are you doing here?" She asked suspiciously.

"We have to leave now." His voice was urgent.

"Leave?" Peach's rage was replaced with confusion.

"You promised, Peachy," he reminded her gently.

Understanding rippled across her face. "This is the worst timing, but sure. Why not? I wanted to leave anyway." She bristled.

"This isn't easy for me either, but now is the only time. I'm sorry." Bowser offered her his hand.

With cold elegance Peach stood up and followed, though she kept her hands clasped in her lap.

"We have to hurry." He brushed her slight rejection aside. "Can you run?"

"Not fast," she stated, and pulled up the edge of her long dress to reveal towering heels.

"I suppose carrying you is out of the question?" He tried to lift her mood with the memory of their previous adventure.

"Not unless you want misery and havoc wrecked upon your kingdom," Peach reminded him. Although her tone was light, she didn't smile.

"Fair enough." Bower began to speed walk towards the entrance. "This way."

To his delight, Peach followed him.

* * *

The garden reception was utterly gorgeous. Peach loved the natural atmosphere and romantic ambiance that it provided. She didn't mind being alone as much because it gave her time to take in the scenery. At the beginning of the party she and Mario had spent time together, and even waltzed to one of the jazz band's songs. But since the band had left the stage and the DJ started playing club music, Peach didn't feel like dancing. Mario had some old friends from home that he wanted to talk to, and with Peach's permission he went to catch up with them, leaving her alone. Initially, Peach flitted around the other guests and chatted; however, she soon grew tired of making small-talk.

Instead, she decided to take in her surroundings. People-watching was always entertaining, and Peach enjoyed spying some of the lively dancers on the floor. She also took notice of quirky guests that were seated in the back: an elderly woman who stuffed her spare dinner rolls into her purse, a child who was attempting to lick his own elbow, and a man dressed entirely in electric yellow.

"Hey Peach!" Daisy ambled over to her, interrupting Peach's thoughts.

"Congratulations," Peach wished her cousin with as much warmth as she could convey.

"I'm so glad you came." She smiled. "Come on, don't sit by yourself! Parties are supposed to be fun. Let's dance!" Daisy grabbed Peach's hands and tried to pull her to the dance floor.

"No thank you, I am a little tired." She answered her cousin.

"But it's only-" Daisy glanced down at her empty wrist. "Oh I guess I left my watch in my purse. Would you do me a huge favor and get it for me? I left it in the dressing room behind the stage."

"Of course," Peach obliged.

She wove through the dancing throng and around the side of the stage. Away from the speakers, the music's volume reached an eerie softness. Peach spotted a single tent set up against the back of the stage. Although the term "dressing room" was a bit too generous, she knew that this was the location that Daisy had described. Peach unzipped the front of the tent and entered into the interior. There was a folding chair and table resting inside, along with a hand mirror and brush. The bridesmaids' accessories were piled in the corner, with Daisy's purse on top. Peach slipped her hand inside and removed the watch.

"Now we can finally be alone," a woman's voice announced outside while she unzipped the tent.

Peach looked up to warn the arrival of her presence. To her horror, it was Pauline. Worse, she was holding Mario's hand and Peach could see fresh lipstick marks on his neck.

"Oh Stars. Peach, I-I-" Mario stammered, shock stealing the words from his mouth.

Peach raced out of the tent before she could hear the rest of his explanation.

A/N: Once again this is a long chapter with a lot dropped on you, so I'll keep my final comments short and sweet. Thank you for the comments on the last chapter, I'm glad that the idea was so well received. Even if you didn't comment, I really appreciate that you read this story. I can't believe it's almost done! I hope you have a marvelous week. Much love, Guardian.


	25. Finale

Mario's stomach dropped at the sight of Peach inside the dressing room. Inevitably, he had become careless, especially when Pauline's presence caused his head to swim. Although he wanted to end things with the princess, he never intended for her to find out about his affair in such a shocking manner.

"Oh Stars! Peach, I-I-I" he began, his lips paralyzed.

He would never forgive himself for the hurt he saw on her face. As fast as an arrow Peach flew from the dressing room.

"Wait!" Mario spun, ready to chase after her.

"She's gone." Pauline told him. "There's no use in trying to save her. I'm sure she wants to be left alone."

"I planned to tell her about all this after the wedding," Mario's voice was hollow. "I never wanted it to happen like this."

"Shhhh," Pauline soothed. "Trust me, this is for the best. There's nothing you can do about it now."

"No." Mario turned to stare into Pauline's lurid blue eyes. "The least I can do is apologize to her."

He sprinted out from behind the stage and scanned across the crowd. Mario could usually pick her out fairly easily, but he didn't notice her distinctive blonde hair among the other guests. He dashed through the throng, occasionally pulling people aside to ask them if they saw Peach. Yet no one provided him with any valuable information. He guessed that she left the main reception area, but if his prediction was accurate then she could be anywhere within the gardens! Yet he would gladly walk over the entire property to beg for forgiveness from the woman whom he had so deeply wronged.

Mario pulled back the fronds of the nearest willow tree and proceeded to pass through the barrier that the branches created. He looked upon the rest of the garden that was visible, yet Peach was nowhere in sight. Suddenly he felt a hand grasp his shoulder warmly. He whirled around to see Pauline behind him.

"I can help you look for her." She remarked. "And I could apologize as well."

"Thank you," Mario replied, grateful for the company.

Together they searched for nearly an hour, but they were unable to locate Peach. The evening sky deepened to a dusky hue.

"Maybe she went home?" Pauline offered.

"We can see if her car is still in the parking lot." Mario concluded.

He and Pauline ambled along the trail that wove through the clusters of rose bushes and honey suckles. Finally they arrived at the front entrance of the garden.

To their horror, the two guards who protected the entrance were on the ground, unconscious.

Immediately Pauline rushed to their sides and shook them gently.

"Are you alright?" She asked loudly, trying to rouse them. Soon they both began to stir. She carefully helped them sit upright. Both had large bumps on the sides of their heads.

"Do you remember what happened?" Mario inquired when they appeared well enough to speak.

"The last thing I recall is seeing a large shape walking towards me in the distance. That's all I can remember." The first guard confessed.

"It was a man, I believe. And though the memory is fuzzy, it's possible that he had some kind of giant backpack of sorts. It was green." The second guard echoed.

Instantly Mario knew who the guards were describing.

"It wasn't a backpack," he whispered aside to Pauline. "It was a shell!"

"Do you think Bowser did this?" Pauline asked.

"Undoubtedly. There's no question that he's the one behind Peach's disappearance." He took Pauline's hand. "You stay here and enjoy the party. I have to go."

"Wait." Pauline pulled him back. "This is your brother's wedding. If all goes well, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime event. It means the world to him that you're here as his best man. If Bowser truly did kidnap Princess Peach, then we know where she is and that she's safe. There's no sense ruining this party further by leaving to rescue her."

Mario tried to protest, but Pauline's eyes quelled his arguments.

"You and I are going back. We'll sort this mess out tomorrow, but for now, we owe it to Luigi to stay." She explained.

Although he longed to assume his familiar role, Mario knew that Pauline was right.

"But the minute that this party is over, I'm leaving," he told her.

Hand in hand they began the walk back to the reception area, the first stars of the evening twinkling above them as the returned.

* * *

Bowser led Peach through the front door into an empty house. Everyone else had left for his rehearsal dinner which was a five hour boat ride away. His whole body felt jittery with anxiety and anticipation. He tried to remember how he had practiced beforehand, but his mouth started moving before he could assemble his words.

"I'm really glad you came with me. Plus who likes parties anyway? Apparently not you, since you said you wanted to leave. So, here we are, no other people around." He continued to blather on, his words sloshing together. "Honestly, I didn't plan anything for us to do, but I guess that's not really important since we're together. Do you want to do anything? Can I get you something to drink? Are you hungry?"

"No." Peach said simply. She was still upset, but it appeared that her anger had worn away to sadness.

"No to which one?" Bowser asked.

"All three." She answered.

"Ok. That's fine." He had run out of things to stall with. "Alright. Peach, there's something I need to tell you." He paused to read the expression on her face. She seemed to be listening. "Look, I know that this is going to come out of no where, but now is the best time. The only time, in fact."

"I'm really not in the mood to listen to one of your stand-up routines..." She interjected.

"No, it's not stand-up. And that was only one time! Anyway," he dared to grab her hands. She didn't pull away. "Well, for as long as I have known you, I have wanted to spend all my time with you. You're always so nice, and so funny, and smart and brave and beautiful. There's no one else like you, and there never will be because you're perfect. To me, anyway. With you by my side, I feel like I can conquer the world." He let go of her hands and dropped to one knee. From his shell he removed the ring box and flicked it open in front of her eyes. "Peach, will you marry me?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. But to his dismay, her face fell from shock into horror.

"Are you serious?" She asked him.

"There's no one else I want to spend my life with," he told her sincerely.

Peach began to wring her hands. "Bowser, I cannot accept this."

"I know that it's a lot to take in, but will you marry me?"

Her crystalline blue eyes searched his. "No." There was pity in her gaze. "No. Bowser, I can't." She said gently.

Bowser had never considered that Peach might actually reject him. He felt panic closing in around him, suffocating rational thought and oxygen from his body.

"No? NO?!" His temper began to flare. "How can you say that?! After everything that I've done for you?" He roared, leaping up from the ground. She backed away from him. "Please, Peach, I can't imagine my life without you. Please, will you marry me?" He begged. And still she shook her head, too overwhelmed to speak.

Bowser became hysterical.

"You are everything to me! If I lose you, I can't- I can't," he fought for air. "I'll do anything for you! I'll give you whatever you want, just please, please marry me!" He yelled.

Peach instinctively turned away from him, preparing herself to run.

Bowser grabbed her arm to keep her from leaving. "Answer me!"

"I told you," Peach trembled, "the answer is no."

Bowser's chest felt as though it had been cleaved in half. Flames erupted from his mouth leaving a burnt smell in the air. Fury consumed him.

"If you don't want me, then you can wait until the one you do want comes to save you!" He announced, a villainous plot unfurling in his mind. With his hand latched onto Peach's arm, he began to pull her up the stairs.

"Fine." She remarked flippantly. To Bowser's surprise, she didn't struggle, but followed behind him insolently.

He led her into his room and once again got down on his knee.

"This is your final opportunity, Peach. Will you marry me?" He held the ring out to her.

"No." She answered firmly. "I will not. I will never wear that ring."

In defiance, he snatched at her hand and forced the silver band onto her finger. Then he exited the room, slamming the door behind him. He locked it, detaining her in the same manner that he had been.

He could hear her sobbing as he walked away to the entrance, preparing himself for the battle that was to come.

* * *

Peach could hardly believe what had happened. However, the diamond shining on her finger proved that she hadn't hallucinated the events of the evening. At least it would all be over in a few hours when Mario saved her. Suddenly the memories of Daisy's wedding came flooding back to her. In vivid detail, she relived uncovering the truth about her relationship with Mario. A terrifying realization crossed her mind: since her boyfriend didn't love her anymore, he probably wouldn't rescue her and she would remain trapped in Bowser's castle forever! Tears sprung to Peach's eyes and she began to bawl.

When the chorus of sobs settled into hiccups and sniffles, Peach calmed down enough to notice that she had been locked in Bowser's room. Inspired, she began to search for weaponry that might assist her escape. But to her dismay, she didn't find anything capable of breaking down the door. In desperation Peach began to pound upon the locked entry way.

"Bowser! Let me out!" She screamed over and over.

But he was too far away to hear her.

In a fit of hopelessness, Peach sank down to the floor, staring at the immovable wooden door in front of her. She felt a new wave of tears threatening to surge from her eyes when suddenly her mood shifted from despair to curiosity. Her eyes had noticed the metal hinges that were before her. They looked very peculiar. They appeared warped and melted as though they had been intentionally burned. Peach's mind buzzed with this new information. Perhaps, with the right application of force, she would be able to knock the hinges from the wall and remove the door from its frame. Determined, Peach stood up and began to look around the room for the perfect object that would lead to her freedom.

Unfortunately, the best item for the task was the heel of Peach's expensive designer shoes. With a grimace, she removed her footwear and began to slam the sharp edge against the mangled metal with all her strength. One, two, three, four, she inadvertently counted to herself. Five, six, seven, eight! On the eighth try the door fell forward, revealing the hallway ahead.

Peach slipped her shoes back on and raced away from the broken prison behind her. She could hear the distinctive loud sounds of a brawl raging in the downstairs foyer, meaning that Mario had come to rescue her after all. She sniffed in disdain. Egotistical as usual, Mario believe that she was incapable of surviving without him. Little did he know that Peach would never rely on him for anything ever again! With poise she walked down the hallway to the vintage telephone set mounted to the wall while the symphony of destruction rang out in the background. Calmly, she dialed her limousine driver and asked him to pick her up at the Koopa Castle instead of the Sarasaland Gardens. Her car would arrive at midnight.

For the remaining time, Peach sat in the hallway and entertained herself with re-reading a Tardy Boys mystery novel from Bowser's room. Occasionally, it was hard to focus with all the background noise, but she quickly became so absorbed in the plot that she didn't notice the ruckus. By the time the clock struck twelve the cacophony had died down considerably, signaling that the fight was nearly over.

Peach stepped lightly down the spiral staircase. While she descended she saw two very exhausted and beaten figures squaring off far ahead of her. As she graced the bottom step, the shorter of the two fell to the ground unconscious. The taller slumped forward and knelt down in enervation before his beaten opponent.

With boldness, Peach approached the two figures in front of the castle entrance. Both were in no state to stop her. As she neared, Bowser stiffened in surprise, though he was too weak to get up.

"How did you get out?" He asked softly.

"You locked me in a room with broken hinges." Peach couldn't help but grin slightly with pride. "It was a piece of cake."

"I'll have to do better next time." Bowser joked.

"No." Peach corrected. "There will never be a next time. It is finished. The game is over."

"I know." His amber eyes looked sorrowfully at hers.

Delicately, Peach removed the wedding ring from her finger and dropped it into Bowser's cupped hand. "I'm sorry," she said, but the words seemed too simple.

Bowser did not meet her eyes, but stared down at the jewelry that he clutched to.

Peach walked past him through the castle doors and was met with the sight of a gorgeous night sky filled to the brim with stars. Relief flooded her body. Finally, she was free. The cycle had been extinguished, with nothing but smoke lingering in the air.

A/N: When I started this story exactly a year ago I had no idea what a huge part of my life it would become, nor did I imagine the wonderful feedback that I would receive from it. My gratitude for all my readers is beyond words, especially to those who have followed/favorited this story or commented on the chapters. You have brought me so much joy and for that I cannot thank you enough. I wish all the best for you and I hope fervently that life brings you nothing but happiness. I really hope that you enjoyed this story, and I want to inform you that there will be a continuation to the plot coming up soon. You are all so special to me. As always: much love, Guardian.


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